1. Professor: Institute of Education
Building Cooperative Communities of Learners; a Transcultural Perspective for a Multicultural World
Robert White, PhD
Professor: Institute of Education
Fellow: British Higher Education Academy

2. Shaping Your Understanding of Multicultural Education
Cosmopolitanism
A worldview that all people share a universal connection and are interdependent while valuing the individual uniqueness required to enhance human endeavours, enrich the human spirit and build civil societies
Humanities needs have priority over egocentric/ethnocentric/ culturally centric needs
Individualism
A worldview that values personal goals and individual uniqueness more than communal goals and social unity
Personal needs have priority over in-group needs
Collectivism
A worldview that group members are connected with and interdependent between each other
In-group needs are placed before personal needs
Tribalism
A worldview that values in-group conformity above all else and the collective defining of the individual more than individual uniqueness . Avoids interconnectivity beyond individual collective boundaries
Rights of the collective has priority over needs of individuals and other groups

3. Enculturation
Berry’s (2001) model: principles of cultural maintenance and contact-participation
the extent individuals value and wish to maintain their cultural identity
Cultural Maintenance (CM)
the extent individuals value and seek out contact with those outside their own group, and wish to participate in the daily life of the larger society
Contact-Participation (CP)
Erwin et al 2005

4. Berry’s Model (Berry J.W. 2001)
Integrated individuals
Individuals want to maintain their identity with home culture, but also want to take on some characteristics of the new culture
CM + CP
Separated individuals
Individuals want to separate themselves from the dominant culture
Known as segregation if it is forced separation CM
Assimilated individuals
Individuals do not want to keep their identity from their home culture, but would rather take on all of the characteristics of the new culture CP
Marginalized individuals
Individuals do not want anything to do with either the new culture or the old culture

5. Cultural Maintenance / Contact- Participation Principles Lead to Two Defining Questions:
Cultural Maintenance: Is it considered to be of value to maintain one’s identity and characteristics?
Contact-Participation: Is it considered to be of value to maintain relationships with larger society?

6. Schools developing and promoting a culture of non-violence through multicultural education
Multicultural Perspective
Prioritizes: Cultural Maintenance
Seeing oneself in like group
Sees Culture as Static
Focuses on Cultural Specifics
Highlights Differences
Celebrates Own Cultural Heritage
Rights take priority over responsibilities
‘Society increasingly motivated by cultural tribalism’
Transcultural Perspective
Prioritizes: Cultural Participation
Seeing oneself in others
Sees Culture as Fluid & Dynamic
Focuses on Cultural Universals
Highlights Similarities
Celebrates the Rich Tapestry of Human Heritage and Experiences
Responsibilities take priority over rights
‘Society motivated by shared, open and inclusive community’

7. Building Schools of Character (White, 2010)
Being a Respectful, Responsible, Trustworthy, Fair, Caring and Honest Person (universally valued characteristics: recognizing similarities to embrace and celebrate diversity)
Rational and Ethical decision making, problem solving and conflict resolution
Facilitated Hero/Villain Discourse/Constructing a Prosocial Narrative
Integrative Character Education:
Focus: CP + CM
Shared Community built on Universal Values
(Universal)
Conflict Resolution and Re-integration
Accountability: accepting responsibility and negotiating reintegration
Resilience: Balanced Pride Development and Shame management
Face-to-Face Mediated Conferencing
Restorative Justice: Focus: harm done
(Targeted)

8. Note: Wilcoxon singed rank test: W+ = 435, W- = 0, n = 30, p < These differences are considered statistically significant by conventional criteria.

9. Anti-social Behavior resulting in Office Referrals
Note: Wilcoxon singed rank test: W+ = 435, W- = 0, n = 30, p < These differences are considered statistically significant by conventional criteria.

10. Overcoming Division, Vulnerability & Violence
My hypothesis is that schools, communities and societies that do not actively acculturate new members (e.g. children, migrants, refugees) through transculturally proficient processes will leave those individuals, families or groups vulnerable to marginalisation, disengagement, and disaffection.
This in turn will make them susceptible to impoverished life outcomes, mental health disorders and/or recruitment by sub-groups that support transgressive, antisocial or violent behaviour.

11. References
Berry, J. W.  (2001).  A psychology of immigration.  Journal of Social Issues, 57,
Erwin DO, Johnson VA, Feliciano-Libid L, Zamora D, Jandorf L. (2005). Incorporating Cultural Constructs and Demographic Diversity in the Research and Development of a Latina Breast and Cervical Cancer Education Program. Journal of Cancer Education, 20(1):39–44.