https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155116 2026-04-05T05:11:01Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/159354 Micro-Affirmations Are Joining the Social Science Research Agenda Rowe, Mary 2024-12-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/158450 BELONGING—The Feeling That We ‘Belong’ May Depend in Part on ‘Affirmations' Rowe, Mary This essay describes a poignant concern brought to the ombuds office that helped me to understand how micro-affirmations are a major part of the scaffolding of “belonging.” 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/158445 “'Drafting a Letter' for People Dealing with Harassment or Bullying" Rowe, Mary As an early ombuds, the author discovered that drafting a structured letter about being mistreated often helped constituents—with respect to both process and outcomes. This article describes the origins of “drafting a letter” with its uses, benefits, and sources of power. Drafting such a letter provides a tripartite structure (see the Appendix) for a mistreated person to present evidence—from diaries, calendars, communications, videos, photos, phone records, etc. This structure helps in considering many options for action, for example, just thinking things through, gathering more evidence, informal discussions, mediation, or a formal complaint. Or the writer may send the letter privately to the perceived offender; such letters may work to stop specific misbehavior. If the behavior then does not stop, a safe-guarded copy of the letter can be used as evidence that the writer tried to stop it. And—very importantly—just drafting a letter may help with pain, anger, and grief. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/157442 Gender Microinequities Rowe, Mary P.; Giraldo-Kerr, Anna Despite laws, regulations, and policies promoting gender equity, and some progress in education and employment settings, gender discrimination continues. Much gender bias is subtle, covert, and usually not legally actionable, despite being very common. This entry examines seemingly small, unfair, demeaning, and discriminatory behaviors and events—microinequities and microaggressions—and their impact on women and men. 2017-07-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/157270 Unconscious Bias: May Micro-Affirmations Provide One Answer? Rowe, Mary 2015-02-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156541 Micro-affirmations & Micro-inequities Rowe, Mary 2008-03-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156399 Requests for Personal Work May Pose a Conflict of Interest Rowe, Mary 2003-02-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156385 Cumulative Effects of Apparently Small Events Rowe, Mary 2002-04-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/156383 What Should Jane Do About Her Top Performer's Mean Streak? Rowe, Mary This comment is part of a larger article: Sarah Cliffe, “What a Star—What a Jerk,” Harvard Business Review Vol. 79, No. 8 (September 2001): 37-48. 2001-09-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155964 Fostering Diversity: Some Major Hurdles Remain When the Playing Field is Tilted Rowe, Mary P. An earlier version of this article was published as Mary P. Rowe, "Fostering Diversity: Some Major Hurdles Remain," Change 25, No. 2 (March-April 1993): 35-39. 1995-03-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155958 The Case of the Hidden Harassment Niven, Daniel; Wang, Cheryl; Rowe, Mary P.; Taga, Mikiko; Vladeck, Judith P.; Garron, Lee C. 1992-03-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155957 Barriers to Equality: The Power of Subtle Discrimination to Maintain Unequal Opportunity Rowe, Mary P. This paper argues that subtle discrimination is now the principal scaffolding for segregation in the United States. The author suggests this scaffolding is built of "micro-inequities": apparently small events which are often ephemeral and hard to prove, events which are covert, often unintentional, frequently unrecognized by the perpetrator. Micro-inequities occur wherever people are perceived to be "different": Caucasians in a Japanese-owned company, African-Americans in a predominantly white firm, women in a traditionally male environment, Jews and Moslems in a traditionally Protestant environment. These mechanisms of prejudice against persons of difference are usually small in nature, but not trivial in effect. They are especially powerful taken together. (As one drop of water has little effect, though continuous drops may be destructive, one racist slight may be insignificant but many such slights cause serious damage.) Micro-inequities work both by excluding the person of difference and by making that person less self-confident and less productive. An employer may prevent such damage by developing programs on diversity, like "valuing differences" and team-building. The author does not believe micro-inequities should be made the subject of anti-discrimination legislation. Note: This article was also reprinted in Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy, 4th ed., edited by Thomas A. Mappes and Jane S. Zambaty. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1992. 1990-06-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155759 Harassment at MIT: Think Prevention Rowe, Mary 1989-10-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155742 Review of The Lecherous Professor: Sexual Harassment on Campus Rowe, Mary P. This is a book review. 1985-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155713 Review of Sexual and Gender Harassment in the Academy: A Guide for Faculty, Students, and Administrators Rowe, Mary P. 1983-05-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155560 The Minutiae of Discrimination: The Need for Support Rowe, Mary Note from the author: This chapter is a revised version of the "Saturn's Rings" papers. 1981-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155559 Dealing with Sexual Harassment Rowe, Mary P. 1981-05-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155552 The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon: Micro-inequities and Unequal Opportunity in the American Economy Rowe, Mary P. Later reprinted in Comment 10, no. 3 (March 1978): 3. 1977-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155546 A Handy, Dandy, Quick and Practical Checklist for Women Trustees Rowe, Mary 1977-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155452 Case of the Valuable Vendors Rowe, Mary P. This article discusses subtle discrimination as a management problem. Also reprinted in Dealing with Conflict, Harvard Business Review (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School, 1983), 167-173. 1978-09-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155308 The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon Rowe, Mary P. 1975-09-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155307 The Progress of Women in Educational Institutions: The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon Rowe, Mary P. The minutiae of sexism are usually not actionable; most are such petty incidents that they may not even be identified, much less protested. They are, however, important, like the dust and ice in Saturn's rings, because, taken together, they constitute formidable barriers. As Saturn is partially obscured by its rings, so are good jobs partially obscured for women by "grains of sand": the minutiae of sexism. 1974-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155302 The Progress of Women in Educational Institutions: The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon Rowe, Mary P. This paper describes the minutiae of sexism in large educational institutions. These minutiae are usually not actionable; most are such petty incidents that they may not even be identified, much less protested. They are, however, important, like the dust and ice in Saturn's rings, because, taken together, they constitute formidable barriers. As Saturn is partially obscured by its rings, so are good jobs partially obscured for women by "grains of sand": the minutiae of sexism. Saturn's Rings phenomena are briefly discussed in this paper and then a fictional case study is introduced in an effort to illustrate the cumulative effect of many small events. This December 1973 report by Mary Rowe to the MIT Academic Council contributed to the discussion resulting in MIT's first policy against harassment. The article describes various aspects of structural sexism. 1973-12-01T00:00:00Z