Diversity Consciousness Opening our Minds to People, Cultures and Opportunities

by Bucher, Richard D.

• ISBN13: 9780135014639
• ISBN10: 0135014638
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-02-05
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

This empowering study on human diversity helps readers develop the ability to understand, respect, and value diversity–and demonstrates how opening one's mind to the views of other peoples and cultures is central for a quality education and successful career.

Personalizing the learning experience by integrating a variety of real-life student experiences and perspectives, it discusses topics in a style that promotes self-reflection and dialogue that is inclusive and not condescending.

Complete with self-reflective journal questions, case studies, and interactive exercises, it discusses diversity and workplace issues–such as teamwork, conflict management, leadership, racism, prejudice, and communication; and zeroes in on the relationship between an employee's success and his/her ability to develop flexible thinking to positively and effectively deal with a variety of diversity issues.

"Diversity Consciousness is impressive because it is not a mere diatribe on the need for diversity. Bucher extensively incorporates and cites classic and empirical research, plus works by well known writers, to better help the reader understand what he means by diversity and its growth locally and globally." - Matthew Oware, DePauw University (from Teaching Sociology)

“Diversity Consciousness is user friendly, that is, the students find it easy to read and yet it does not achieve this by “dumbing down” the content. Also, the organization of the book seems to help the student move through what can be a very difficult and troubling subject.” - John Rushing, Barry University

"Diversity Consciousness can provide an inclusive roadmap for understanding and dialoguing about differences. I wish that this book had been available to me as an undergraduate. What I value in this book are the stories, the exercises and opportunities to listen through others about their experiences on various topics. The tools in this book and the dialogue are essential to having an understanding of how to navigate through our diverse society." - Brenda Thompson, Principal Consultant for Diversity, MGM Mirage

Author Biography

Dr. Richard Bucher is a Professor of Sociology at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC).  He has been nationally recognized for his teaching excellence and teaches a variety of courses, including Introductory Sociology, Cultural Diversity in the Workplace, and Race and Ethnic Relations.  The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education recently honored him for teaching excellence.  He served as the first Director of BCCC's Institute for Intercultural Understanding (IIU).  Under his leadership, the IIU gained national recognition as an innovative diversity education program.  Dr. Bucher received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Howard University, with a concentration in race and ethnic relations.  He is also the author of Building Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Nine Megaskills (Prentice Hall, 2008).  We encourage you to visit his website at http://www.diversityconsciousness.com and this Blog on the subject of diversity consciousness/cultural intelligence at www.diversityconsciousness.com/blog  The author driven Blog is for faculty and educators who want to learn more about diversity and how it impacts their institutions, their communities, and their teaching.  

Table of Contents

Diversity: An Overview	p. 1
Learning Objectives	p. 1
Our Changing Cultural Landscape	p. 2
Demographic Changes in the United States	p. 3
Technological and Social Changes	p. 10
A Range of Reactions	p. 16
Cultural Cruise Control	p. 17
Beginning Adjustments	p. 18
Fine Tuning	p. 20
Views of Diversity: Assimilation and Pluralism	p. 21
Dimensions of Diversity	p. 25
Diversity Between and Within Groups	p. 29
Diversity Myths	p. 30
What Is Diversity Consciousness?	p. 32
Diversity Education	p. 33
Case Studies	p. 35
Exercises	p. 38
Internet Assignment	p. 39
Notes	p. 39
Diversity Consciousness and Success	p. 42
Learning Objective	p. 42
Definitions of Success	p. 43
Sociocultural Theory and Success	p. 45
Why Diversity Skills Are Important	p. 46
Success at School	p. 47
Success at Work	p. 54
Individual/Organizational Benefits	p. 59
The Individual	p. 59
The Organization	p. 61
Diversity Training in the Workplace	p. 63
The Costs of Inadequate Diversity Consciousness	p. 68
Case Studies	p. 71
Exercises	p. 73
Internet Assignment	p. 74
Notes	p. 75
Personal and Social Barriers to Success	p. 77
Learning Objectives	p. 77
Six Barriers to Success	p. 79
Limited Perceptions	p. 79
Ethnocentrism	p. 82
Stereotypes	p. 86
Prejudice	p. 91
Prejudice Plus Power	p. 96
Discrimination	p. 100
Overcoming Diversity Barriers	p. 105
Case Studies	p. 112
Exercises	p. 114
Internet Assignment	p. 116
Notes	p. 116
Developing Diversity Consciousness	p. 119
Learning Objectives	p. 119
The Importance of Diversity Consciousness	p. 119
Cultural Encapsulation	p. 121
Six Areas of Development	p. 124
Examining Ourselves and Our Worlds	p. 124
Expanding Our Knowledge of Others and Their Worlds	p. 128
Stepping Outside of Ourselves	p. 132
Gauging the Level of the Playing Field	p. 134
Checking Up on Ourselves	p. 140
Following Through	p. 141
Strategies for Developing Diversity Consciousness	p. 142
Diversity Education-A Range of Opportunities	p. 144
A Lifelong, Continuing Process	p. 147
Case Studies	p. 148
Exercises	p. 149
Internet Assignment	p. 151
Notes	p. 151
Communicating in a Diverse World	p. 153
Learning Objectives	p. 153
Communication and Culture	p. 154
Electronic Communication	p. 158
Diversity Consciousness and Communication	p. 161
Areas of Development: Diversity Consciousness and Communication	p. 162
Communication Matters	p. 170
Barriers to Effective Communication	p. 172
Hot Buttons	p. 174
Difficult Dialogues	p. 177
Communicating Inclusively	p. 179
Case Studies	p. 182
Exercises	p. 184
Internet Assignment	p. 186
Notes	p. 186
Teamwork	p. 188
Learning Objectives	p. 188
Teams Today	p. 188
Teamwork at School	p. 190
Teamwork in the Workplace	p. 192
Virtual Teaming	p. 194
Developing Teamwork Skills	p. 195
Diversity Consciousness and Teaming	p. 197
High-Performance Teams	p. 200
Ten Proven Strategies for Building High-Performance Teams	p. 201
Obstacles to Teamwork	p. 203
Conflict	p. 205
Conflict Management	p. 206
Case Studies	p. 213
Exercises	p. 215
internet Assignment	p. 217
Notes	p. 217
Leadership	p. 219
Learning Objectives	p. 219
What is Leadership?	p. 220
Diversity-Conscious Leadership	p. 223
Who Can Be a Diversity-Conscious Leader?	p. 224
Key Skills of a Diversity-Conscious Leader	p. 225
Adapting	p. 225
Thinking and Communicating Inclusively	p. 227
Assessing and Monitoring	p. 227
Four Building Blocks of Diversity-Conscious Leadership: An Assessment	p. 228
Leadership Theories	p. 231
Leadership in a Cultural Context	p. 232
Individualism Versus Collectivism	p. 233
Large or Small Power Distance	p. 233
Strong or Weak Uncertainty Avoidance	p. 235
Masculinity Versus Femininity	p. 235
The Diversity-Conscious Leader of the Future	p. 238
Leadership Development	p. 239
Future Challenges	p. 240
Case Studies	p. 241
Exercises	p. 243
Internet Assignment	p. 244
Notes	p. 244
Conclusion	p. 245
Learning Objectives	p. 245
Opening Our Minds to Opportunities	p. 246
Future Challenges	p. 250
Technological Change and Globalization	p. 251
Changing Demographics in the United States	p. 254
Continuing Potential for Divisiveness and Hope	p. 256
Case Studies	p. 258
Exercises	p. 260
Internet Assignment	p. 261
Notes	p. 261
Bibliography	p. 263
Index	p. 273
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