Employee Engagement, Sense of Belonging and Inclusion: john a powell

powell, Toppin. Using the inequality exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic as a vivid example, this article focuses on health equity from the standpoint of structural marginalization—here, described as being marked as an “other” outside of the circle of human concern. This process leads to tension between the principles of liberty and equality and contributes to the creation of systemic disadvantage as manifested in health disparities. Creating an equitable health system must begin with this root understanding and generate greater belonging through the policy process of targeted universalism. Targeted universalism replaces a disparities framework with one in which a universal goal is identified but targeted strategies to meet each population group’s needs are employed.

Heydemann, powell. As the pace of change in our world accelerates and intensifies, humanity is confronting unprecedented global challenges and uniquely transformative opportunities. Urgent threats in this moment meet long-standing, ever-appalling underlying injustices: the climate crisis, economic inequality, endemic military conflict, the coronavirus pandemic, police brutality, systemic racism, and more. At a deep, primal level, this degree of transformation triggers insecurity regarding our fundamental mortality and our ability to survive. These concerns are so significant, it is no wonder that a permeating sense of unease seems to be growing. As we approach uncertain futures, there are many paths we can take: some encourage greater cooperation, collaboration, and solidarity, while others incite more fear, polarization, scarcity, and competition.

powell, Menendian, Ake. There is a hunger for fresh approaches and urgent demand for novel policy methods that can break through our political gridlock, address the problems of our time and create new avenues for thriving individuals and communities. Targeted universalism is an approach that supports the needs of the particular while reminding us that we are all part of the same social fabric.

powell. PowerPoint presentation.

powell, Menendian. The problem of the twenty-first century is the problem of “othering.” In a world beset by seemingly intractable and overwhelming challenges, virtually every global, national, and regional conflict is wrapped within or organized around one or more
dimension of group-based difference. Othering undergirds territorial disputes, sectarian violence, military conflict, the spread of disease, hunger and food insecurity, and even climate change.

powell, Menendian. Who inhabits the circle of human concern? Who counts as a person or a member of the community and what rights accompany that status? In a democratic society, there is nothing more vital than membership. Those who inhabit the circle of human concern, who count as full members, may rightfully demand such concern and expect full regard. It is they who design and give meaning to that society’s very structures and institutions; they have voice. This is the ideal of democracy. But there is an important question: Who inhabits this circle?

powell. This Article builds upon the insights of Professor Calmore in fashioning a structural model for conceptualizing racism in its
contemporary form. This model extends beyond our commonly understood, traditional model of racism as either a product of
individual intentional racism or formally race-neutral policies and practices that have the effect of disadvantaging certain racial or
ethnic groups. Structural racism or racialization emphasizes the interaction of multiple institutions in an ongoing process of
producing racialized outcomes. Research in the field of dynamic and complex systems theory teaches that the structures matter. The
structure of a system gives rise to its behavior. A systems approach helps illuminate the ways in which individual and institutional
behavior interact across domains and over time to produce unintended consequences with clear racialized effects. Research in
cognitive psychology demonstrates how subconscious attitudes can produce discriminatory decisions without conscious awareness. The individualistic anti-discrimination approach to addressing racism will have great difficulty interrupting these processes