Series
Lien Fung's Colloquium Lecture
Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley
Open To
SMU Community, Public
Event Image
Synopsis
The figure above demonstrates the Müller-Lyer illusion, where equal-length lines appear different due to cognitive processing, illustrating how perceptions can mislead us – a key concept in Behavioural Economics. This field explores how psychological attributes affect economic decisions. Our lecture will first examine examples of how these attributes lead to seemingly irrational decisions. Then we will discuss leveraging an understanding of behavioural biases to subtly influence decision-making contexts, nudging individuals towards more desirable choices.
Speaker
Speaker Details
Carolyn Chen
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Carolyn Chen is Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, whose research focuses on the Asian American experience. Her book Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley (Princeton University Press, 2022) explores how workplaces employ spiritual practices to exploit productivity at the expense of workers and their communities. She will speak on Silicon Valley’s spiritual culture, Asian Diaspora, secular searches for meaning, and the way in which corporations are increasingly dominant in our national spiritual life. Carolyn was Associate Professor of Sociology and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University, where she served as Director of the Asian American Studies Program. She is also the author of Getting Saved in America: Taiwanese Immigration and Religious Experience (Princeton University Press, 2008). |
In Partnership With
