Understanding Human Differences : Multicultural Education for a Diverse America

by Koppelman, Kent; Goodhart, Lee

• ISBN13: 9780205408429
• ISBN10: 0205408427
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Understanding Human Differences: Multicultural Education for a Diverse America, is an incredibly useful tool for helping students develop conceptual understanding about complex and emotionally-charged issues of diversity in today's world. The authors use clear examples, lucid language, and engaging activities to involve students in thinking through fundamental ideas that ground their understanding of diversity. This is an innovative approach to teaching diversity that challenges students' misconceptions, perceptions, and assumptions with interactive exercises and discussion exercises. In reading and engaging in controversial issues, students are challenged to think about implications from research and to draw conclusions on their own, rather than feeling like they are being subjected to opinions to which they must agree because of ";political correctness."; The content is grounded in interdisciplinary studies from behavioral and social sciences including psychology, sociology, education, biology, history, and anthropology. Each chapter is presented in an inquiry format, consisting of questions within the narrative followed by discussion activities and exercises that relate to the topics and issues raised. There are a variety of activities so instructors can select which ones they think will be most effective with their students. ";Written with wisdom, clarity, compassion, and a deep moral commitment to building multicultural democracy. This tremendously engaging and thoughtful book will provoke thinking and needed dialogue."; Christine Sleeter, California State University Monterey Bay ";Koppelman and Goodhart probe the many facets of diversity and examine how society makes the lives of many difficult through racism, classim, sexism, ableism, and homophobia... An extraordinarily useful book for all concerned with building a truly democratic multiracial America."; Joe R. Feagin, Graduate Research Professor, University of Florida and author of The Many Costs of Racism (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003).

Table of Contents

Individual Attitudes and Interpersonal Relations

Understanding Ourselves and Others:Clarifying Values and Language

Understanding Prejudice and its Causes

Communication, Conflict and Conflict

Resolution

Cultural Foundations of Oppression in the United States

Immigrants and Oppression: The Paradox ofNativism in a Nation of Immigrants

Race and Oppression: The Experiences of People of Color in America

Religion and Oppression: The Struggle for Religious Freedom

Rejecting Oppressive Relationships: The Logicof Cultural Pluralism for a Diverse Society

Contemporary Dilemmas for Intergroup Relations

Racism: Confronting a Legacy of White

Domination of America

Sexism: Where the Personal Becomes Political

Heterosexism: Transforming Homosexualityfrom Deviant to Different

Classism: Myths and Misperceptions about

Poverty

Ableism: Disability Does Not Mean Inability

The Challenge of Diversity to American Institutions

Pluralism in Schools: The Promise of Multicultural Education

Pluralism in Society: Creating Unity in aDiverse America

Afterword: How can Understanding Human Differences Resolve

Dilemmas in a Multicultural Society?

Glossary

Index

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.