A Blueprint for Multicultural Understanding Culture is a group that shares a program for survival, values, ideations, and shared symbols” and perpetuates itself beyond the lives of individuals (Banks, 1997). Culture can consist of many different ethnic groups or races

Other than differences in meeting our basic needs: WHAT OTHER CULTURAL DIFFERENCES MIGHT EXIST?

Key Terms & Concepts All people share basic needs. Each of us learns a set of behaviors and beliefs from the people we grow up with Ethnic group shares an ancestral heritage, some genetics and language. Kinship Food preferences, lifestyles, etc Body of beliefs and ritual activities that celebrate the community’s historical experience. Human Race: a group that shares physical characteristics such as facial features, skin color, etc. A social reality: Used to sort social groupings and to define social and economic interactions. No genetic difference between races - DNA from 2 different races is often exactly identical Specific DNA sequences cannot be relied on for medical cures

Everyone Has a Culture… Culture is a complex idea…as are Humans! Many of these differences are related to culture-ways of living and being that are handed down from one generation to the next. All people share basic needs. Each of us learns a set of behaviors and beliefs from the people we grow up with: Kind of houses we build and foods we eat When not fully understood, can lead to Stereotypes Prejudices Discriminations Racism

Key Terms & Concepts Stereotypes is generalization that does not allow for differences. Prejudice is a negative opinion, prejudgment or attitude about a group or its individual members. Often accompanied by ignorance, fear or hatred Discrimination is a behavior that treats people unequally because of their group memberships. Often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices Racism when one cultural group oppresses another group Prejudice + power

Other key terms: Bias: the tendency to have a particular perspective, usually viewed one-sided. Diversity: the policy encouraging the acceptance/tolerance of people from different backgrounds Gender: the set of distinguishing characteristics of male and females Homophobia: irrational fear of and/or discrimination against homosexual behaviors Poverty: condition lacking basic human needs Native: being the place/environment of birth

We all need to understand stereotypes… Use these questions to ask yourself how you are influenced by stereotypes: Does something about this person’s appearance or behavior make me think that they are better or worse? What is the basis for making this assumption?

Stereotypes… What labels am I consciously or subconsciously applying to this person? To what cultural group am I assuming this person belongs to? What do I know about that group and that group’s within-group differences? Am I thinking globally?

Three things to keep in mind… 1. All individuals are in some respects, like all other individuals. We are all members of the human race and in the same species, Homo Sapiens. 2. All individuals belong to a cultural group. The cultural group serves as the basis for individuals to become humanized. 3. All individuals have some uniqueness. Individuals differ from one another both biologically and socially. No two individuals share the same experience in their society.

A Model of Multicultural Understanding Awareness of self is the first step to understanding others: To know oneself Know your worldview (what is your view of life?) Global Thinking: We must become cognizant of world events ourselves The dominant view does not always translate correctly – such as press, political analysis