Courtney Kurinec

Our next Baylor University WISE Graduate Student Seminar Speaker is Courtney Kurinec. Courtney Kurinec is working on her PhD with Dr. Charles Weaver in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience here at Baylor University. Her talk is entitled “Sounding ‘criminal’: Investigating bias against African American English in the legal system.”

Summary: People are often discriminated against for the way they speak. For example, people who use African American English are assumed to be less educated, less trustworthy, and lower in status compared to those who speak American English with a Midwestern dialect. Although these stereotypes can influence people’s attitudes and behaviors toward these speakers, people often never question them. After all, isn’t African American English “bad” English? My research explores how assumptions about African American English affect decisions made in the criminal justice system. Through this talk, attendees will learn not only what dialects are (and aren’t) and how we study them, but will also be better able to identify and address language bias in their daily lives.

Connect with Courtney to learn more about her work!
Twitter: @ckurinec
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