Greetings! I am Aaron Redda a doctoral student in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama. I have created this Diversity & Inclusion ePortfolio (D&I-eP) as part of my work for the CIS 650 (Applying Diversity Leadership Theories & Praxis) course during Spring 2025.In my D&I-eP, I analyze existing diversity and inclusion responses focused on cancer prevention among underserved populations through early screening and lifestyle interventions such as smoking cessation and alcohol reduction. This project was conducted in collaboration with Emlane Social, a health and wellness digital media company based in Tallahassee, Florida, committed to addressing health disparities impacting African American communities.
On this page, I reflect on leading a class discussion centered on culturally responsive health communication strategies and presenting my Diversity & Inclusion ePortfolio. For the discussion, I analyzed a scholarly reading about information poverty and engaged my classmates with questions on addressing health disparities in underserved populations. Sharing my ePortfolio progress during the demonstration allowed me to reflect on the challenges, growth, and meaningful experiences gained throughout the semester. This project emphasized the critical role of community engagement, sustainable partnerships, and inclusive communication in advancing health equity for marginalized groups. By connecting academic theory to real-world applications, I deepened my commitment to fostering culturally sensitive approaches within health information organizations.
Final Presentation
Readings
Memo of Relevance: Article Critique and Review
Name of reviewer:
Aaron Redda
Aaron Redda
Article’s bibliographic information:
Haider, J., & Bawden, D. (2007). Conceptions of “information poverty” in LIS: a discourse analysis. Journal of Documentation, 63(4), 534–557. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410710759002
Haider, J., & Bawden, D. (2007). Conceptions of “information poverty” in LIS: a discourse analysis. Journal of Documentation, 63(4), 534–557. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410710759002
Keywords:
Information poverty, discourse analysis, LIS, Foucauldian theory, technological determinism, economic determinism, information society, professional discourse.
Information poverty, discourse analysis, LIS, Foucauldian theory, technological determinism, economic determinism, information society, professional discourse.
Purpose of the article:
The article critically analyzes how "information poverty" has been conceptualized within the field of Library and Information Science (LIS). Using Foucauldian discourse analysis, it deconstructs how this concept emerged, how it frames marginalized populations, and its implications for professional discourse, institutional interventions, and power structures.
The article critically analyzes how "information poverty" has been conceptualized within the field of Library and Information Science (LIS). Using Foucauldian discourse analysis, it deconstructs how this concept emerged, how it frames marginalized populations, and its implications for professional discourse, institutional interventions, and power structures.
Theoretical/Practice-Based frameworks:
Foucauldian discourse analysis
Power/knowledge dynamics
Social constructionism
Professional discourse within LIS
Research approaches/methods/methodological frameworks:
Qualitative discourse analysis of 35 English-language LIS articles (1995–2005)
Identification of recurring discursive themes such as economic and technological determinism, professional moral obligations, and the historicization of "information poverty."
Strengths (significance) of the article:
Provides a critical lens on how professional discourses shape understanding of marginalized populations.
Illuminates intersections between LIS and broader social structures.
Challenges dominant assumptions about information access and technological determinism.
Applies Foucauldian theory effectively to LIS, introducing fresh analytical perspectives.
Weaknesses (limitations) of the article:
Geographically and linguistically limited to Western, English-language sources.
Foucauldian concepts may be difficult for practitioners unfamiliar with critical theory.
Lacks empirical engagement with communities labeled as "information poor," limiting practical applicability.
Identify ONE key takeaway in terms of INFORMATION ACTIONS for your DIVERSE POPULATION:
Information professionals must avoid institutionally imposed definitions of "information poverty." Instead, they should engage directly with communities to understand local experiences of information access and knowledge systems.
Information professionals must avoid institutionally imposed definitions of "information poverty." Instead, they should engage directly with communities to understand local experiences of information access and knowledge systems.
From the reading, write down at least ONE outcome(s), small incremental step(s), valuable tools and strategies you might suggest for your colleagues to take back to be implemented within their libraries, archives, museums, or other work system:
Implement community-driven needs assessments to identify informational barriers rather than relying solely on standard metrics like digital divide statistics.
Establish localized focus groups to explore informational needs and culturally preferred knowledge-sharing practices.
Apply participatory design principles to co-create information services with target communities, ensuring cultural responsiveness.
Important references in relation to student’s areas of interest (course project):
Chatman, E.A., & Pendleton, V.E. (1995). "Knowledge gap, information seeking and the poor," The Reference Librarian.
Britz, J. (2004). "To know or not to know: a moral reflection on information poverty," Journal of Information Science.
Chatman, E.A. (1996). "The impoverished life-world of outsiders," Journal of the American Society for Information Science.
Ideas and relationship of article to student’s areas of interest (course project):
This article aligns with my focus on health communication and information equity in underserved communities. It challenges deficit-based models that portray marginalized groups as inherently "information poor" and advocates for approaches that recognize local agency and social context. It supports participatory, community-driven strategies in diversity and inclusion work, particularly around health disparities and public health outreach.
This article aligns with my focus on health communication and information equity in underserved communities. It challenges deficit-based models that portray marginalized groups as inherently "information poor" and advocates for approaches that recognize local agency and social context. It supports participatory, community-driven strategies in diversity and inclusion work, particularly around health disparities and public health outreach.
Discussion
This semester, working on my Diversity and Inclusion ePortfolio allowed me to deeply explore how health communication efforts can better serve underserved populations. I learned the importance of culturally tailored messaging, community engagement, and sustainable partnerships. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that strategies were truly representative and inclusive, not just surface-level. Overall, this project was meaningful because it reinforced the need for equity-driven approaches in real-world settings. It has strengthened my commitment to promoting inclusive practices in my future work.