A democracy of loud voices?

1. A Democracy of Loud Voices?
Chris Mitchell
Head of Academic Development
Royal College of Art
Exploring alternative
models of organising
group discussion
CC Image courtesy of sharkhats on Flickr

2. “Most lectures and discussions
are dominated by male voices,
native English speakers
(sometimes exclusively) and keeps
a UK-centric perspective.”
“I have felt excluded. On at
least 3 occasions I have been
the only black person in a
crit viewing a work which
deals with a black/white
polemic. It’s very
uncomfortable - I feel
pressurised to speak up.“
Background

3. Questions
•How do you measure the equitability of
group discussions?
•How equitable are group discussions?
…
•How do you improve the equitability of
group discussions?

4. CC Image courtesy of Jesús Gorriti on FlickrCC Image courtesy of Rekyt on Flickr CC Image courtesy of Alex Graves on Flickr
Research
Wait-time Interruptions Distribution
Sacks et al (1974)
McHoul (1978)
Baxter (1988)

5. Methods

6. Chair
Secretary
Females
Males
Results(1)
Meeting 1 Meeting 2

7. Results(2) Meeting 1 Meeting 2
No. of turns 128 175
Male/Female
ratio
33/67 50/50
Male* 45 (56%) 80 (68%)
Female* 36 (44%) 37 (32%)
Chair turns 46 (36%) 58 (33%)
Secretary turn 1 (1%) N/A
Top 2 turn takers 49% (61%) 69 (59%)
36%
1%
16%
2%
1%
9% 23% 13%
33% 6%
2%
7% 5% 5%
1%
27% 12%
Chair
Secretary
Females
Males
* Excludes the Chair and Secretary
Meeting 1
Meeting 2

8. Results(3)

9. • Examine the motivations of participants:
• Explorers
• Politicians
• Exhibitionists
• Hostages
• Sleeper agents…
• Negotiate the rules of engagement:
• How do you encourage people to speak?
• How do you encourage people to listen?
• How do people seize the moment?
• Pause to reflect
Recommendations

10. Exercise
• This is a performance of a dinner party conversation
• Anyone seated at the table is a guest performer
• No one will assist you
• To participate simply take an empty seat at the table
• If the table is full you can request a seat
• If you leave the table you can come back again
• Feel free to write on the tablecloth
• There can be silence
• There might be awkwardness
• There is an end but no conclusion
The Long Table Etiquette (Lois Weaver)