Incivility at a workplace refers to rude behavior of ambiguous intent. Examples include ostracizing a co-worker, being rude to them, or excluding them from workplace activities.
The presence and tolerance of incivility increases the risk of sexual harassment and is perpetrated against women of color and white women more than other groups, according to Kathryn Clancy, an associate professor of anthropology at Illinois. Unfortunately, the definition of incivility varies among university administrators, organizational psychologists, and critical studies scholars, she said.
“I think we need to have a conversation about what we mean when we say civility and incivility,” said Clancy, who also is a part-time Beckman faculty member. “There are different types of people who are doing research in this area and I am trying to get them together to figure out where we can use our different approaches to move toward some solutions.”
To encourage conversation and collaboration on the topic, Clancy is organizing a two-day workshop, “Transdisciplinary Research on Incivility in STEM Concepts,” that is being funded by the National Science Foundation. Featuring a mix of expert panels and registrant-organized small group sessions, the workshop will be Oct. 17-18 at the Beckman Institute. Registration is open online; the deadline to register is Oct. 3. The conference will be limited to 90 participants.
Four panels will explore: “Addressing Power Dynamics and Incivility,” “The Consequences of Incivility,” “Addressing Truth and Incivility,” and “Why Should We Care About Incivility?”
The workshop will offer support for registration, travel, and lodging to promote the inclusion of underrepresented minority, junior, and/or regional and community college scholars.
“We have made a sliding scale for registration. Participants can pay anywhere from $0 to $100. We are trying to create ways for people to attend who don’t always get to come to workshops and conferences,” Clancy said.
More information about the workshop can be found on the website.
