PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY AND CULTURE

Definitions of Culture & Diversity:

Individual #1: “Culture is the race by which one identifies themselves with such as Caucasian, African American, or Asian. Diversity is differences that are present among individuals with regards to abilities, socioeconomic status, or race”.

Individual #2: Culture is shared norms, values or traditions held by an individual and/or group of individuals. Diversity is cultural differences among individuals within our society”.

Individual #3: Culture is traditions established and maintained within individual families. Diversity is personal characteristic differences present among individuals”.

The aspects of culture studied in this course which are present in the answers I received  is that of “cultural group” and the definition of culture described in the course text “Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves”. Cultural group is defined as one’s ethnicity which reflects the place of origin and cultural background of the person’s ancestors. As individual #1 stated “culture is the race by which one identifies themselves with such as Caucasian, African American, or Asian”. Derman-Sparks and Edwards defined culture as the manner by which particular groups of people live. Individual #2 stated “culture is shared norms, values, or traditions held by an individual and/or group of individuals”. Individual #3 stated “culture is traditions established and maintained within individual families”.

The aspect of diversity studied in this course which is present in the answers I received is “clash of culture” discussed in the article “Beyond “Culture Clash” Understandings of Immigrant Experiences”. Bic Ngo describes “clash of culture” in terms of immigrants and immigrant youth being torn between two worlds such as two generations. The “clash of culture” idea correlates with individual #2 and individual #3 responses as the cultural differences and personal characteristic differences may be presented among individuals of different generations creating the “clash of culture”.

The aspect of diversity omitted within the answers I received is that of family diversity. None of the three individuals appeared to view family structure as a form of diversity as each person defined diversity in reference to cultural or personal differences among individuals. Family structure is a form of diversity as family households can be married, single mother, single father, widowed, or divorced.

Reviewing the three individual definitions of diversity and culture influence my thoughts about these terms and what these terms mean to me. When I reflect on the term diversity I define this term as differences in individual characteristics with regard to race, familial status, socioeconomic status, education, profession, and personal abilities. I define culture as family traditions, norms, values, and beliefs shared within an individual family and/or a group of individuals of the same race.