New Canada Research Chair explores discrimination in public safety organizations
Dr. Angela Workman-Stark appointed Tier 2 chair in Rights-Based Organizational Development
Athabasca University’s newest Canada Research Chair will explore discrimination in public safety organizations such as the police and military and support human rights, justice, and inclusion.
Dr. Angela Workman-Stark
has been appointed Canada Research Chair in Rights-Based Organizational Development. Workman-Stark, an associate professor in the Faculty of Business, studies organizational behaviour and plans to focus her research on understanding how and why human rights violations persist within public safety organizations.
“These organizations are confronted with a paradox,” she said. “They are mandated to preserve and protect the rights of citizens yet fail to uphold the rights of their own employees.”
Addressing this paradox requires reframing the problem through a human rights lens, she added. Her research will include developing a framework that incorporates the systems and practices needed to preserve and promote human rights in organizations prone to discriminatory practices.
Second career in academia
Workman-Stark came to AU in 2016 after a 24-year career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). She held several leadership roles with the RCMP including as a chief superintendent overseeing the agency’s response to widespread allegations of gender discrimination and harassment in 2013.
Her career in academia has focused on researching the factors that contribute to more inclusive workplaces, such as fair treatment, safety, and a more inclusive style of leadership.
Four active Canada Research Chairs at AU
Workman-Stark is the fourth active Canada Research Chair at AU, which has six chairholder allocations. The other active chairs include Dr. Scott Ketcheson, Canada Research Chair in Hydrological Sustainability, Dr. Mickey Valley, Canada Research Chair in Sound Studies, and Dr. Terra Manca, Canada Research Chair in Regulation, Social Governance, and Inequities in Health.
Watch Workman-Stark discuss her research
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