SCEB: Session 7 Reflection Sheet: Group 12

The class started with people forming voluntary groups for a change. This
was instructive as very few people bothered to sit outside their SCEB
groups. This reflects the inertia human beings have in going out of their
comfort zones/ groups. We all like to part of a group which we are familiar
with. There is always some trepidation and uncertainty when you work
with new people.
The groups then went on to decide the norms they would like other groups
to follow while dealing with them, and the norms they themselves will
follow while dealing with the other groups. While discussing these norms,
we realized the fact that both these lists should be identical. Its only when
we follow the norms that we expect others to follow can a universally
accepted set of norms be reached. Several norms were discussed, for e.g.
listening to and treating other groups with respect and expecting the
same from them, helping other groups when they need it and expecting
them to help us and so on. One suggestion elicited a lot of discussion. A
group suggested that they will lead and contribute to any class discussion.
But then, that implies that you expect other groups to follow your lead
which might not happen all the time. Hence, this is a norm which cannot
be reciprocated as only one group can lead a discussion.
The class ended with continuing the discussion on knowledge generation.
We watched a TED video where the biases inherent in todays research
were discussed. Most of the academics are funded by industries and
lobbies which themselves have a stake in the type of research they
undertake. Thus, the outcomes of such research tend to be favourable to
the ones who are funding it. Another instance of the bias is that the
knowledge and information required for research is restricted to certain
commercial bodies, for e.g. private equity firms in the finance domain.
Thus, any research arising out of that data has to be favourable to private
equity firms or else the information wont be forthcoming. Thus, while

accessing any research, we need to be aware about the background of the

person who has published it, in order to know that the conclusions may
lean towards a particular body/sector. This again brings in focus the
necessity of the information about the people who have funded or have a
stake in the research being made public.