Communicated Stereotypes at Work

In Communicated Stereotypes at Work, the editors and contributors posit that stereotypes communicated in the workplace remain a pervasive issue due to the dichotomy between the discriminatory and functional roles that these stereotypes can play in a range of professional settings. Contributors demonstrate that while the use of stereotypes in the workplace is distasteful and exclusionary, communicating these stereotypes can also appear--on the surface--to provide a pathway toward bonding with others, giving advice, and reducing uncertainty. The result of this dichotomy is that those who communicate stereotypes in the workplace may not view this communication from themselves or others as being problematic. With an emphasis on qualitative methods and analyses, contributors deconstruct stereotypes by exploring the theoretical, empirical, and pragmatic roles they play in communication. In doing so, authors expose the underpinnings of stereotypes and why they are communicated, focus on the role all of us play in perpetuating stereotypes, and suggest alternative modes of productive discourse. Scholars of interpersonal and organizational communication, cultural studies, and sociology as well as practitioners of various professions will find this book particularly useful.

Yifeng Hu is associate professor of communication studies at The College of New Jersey.

Anastacia Kurylo is lecturer at Brooklyn College.