1. Historical/Cultural Context of Cultural Competence
ELPS 715 Leading Change Through Cultural Competence

2. What is culture? Culture is about groupness
It is everything you do and believe to identify with people like you AND distinguishes you from people who differ from you.
Culture provides rules and expectations for daily living (cultural expectations)
People often think of culture as ethnic culture, i.e. racial groups

3. Culture (cont’d)
Race is a concept developed by social scientists- usually misinterpreted and popularized by those who characterize people by physical features, traits
Culture is occupational, social, and organizational……..
Schools, classrooms, and districts differ in culture (climate, student culture, professional cultures
Culture is also gender and sexual orientation-driven

4. What happened to Race?
1960s- people classified by race (skin color)-hangover from the 17th Century………..
Race is used by the Federal Government frequently on applications and forms-not the most accurate description- issues abound
Dominant groups (cultures) do not name themselves by race- they NAME other people

5. Race (cont’d)
For our purposes this semester we will use the following racially defined ethnic groups:
African American
Asian
Pacific Islander
European American
Hispanic or Latino/Latina
People of the First Nations

6. Other Cultural group terms
Differently abled or physically challenged
GLBT: Gay men, Lesbians, Bisexual, Transgendered
Older Americans
Women
Men

7. Legacy of Segregation & Exclusion
Racism, ethnocentrism, sexism & heterosexism have been used to exclude, segregate & subjugate
Economic classes can become further stratified into certain caste groups, pertaining to the ethnic groups
Some believe movement is possible between groups

8. Legacy (cont’d)
Ogbu & Matute-Bianchi (1990) put forth a highly controversial theory claiming that movement between groups is nearly impossible, due to the caste status of certain groups.
Ogbu describes two types of ethnic minority status: (see Table 2.1 page 30 Lindsey, 2009)
+ immigrant status
+ caste status

9. History of Caste in United States
Generations of Europeans voluntarily migrated to the U.S. and moved through immigrant status to assimilation.
Initially, caste minorities were enslaved African people and First Nations people (Ogbu & Matute-Bianchi, 1990)
Caste minorities were prevented from entering the dominant culture due to caste

10. History of Caste (cont’d)
Slavery was instituted for Africans and First Nations people were defeated, lands taken, and sent to reservations.
Racism and ethnocentrism becomes entrenched in the U.S.
Vocal and violent struggles are born to gain the rights of caste groups, including women’s rights.

11. Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism becomes the tool in the 20th Century to rationalize racism
European/American men used the work of Darwin to suggest the power and privilege of the society should go to the fittest who enjoy this power and privilege.
Men are forced to pass the 19th Amendment (1920) U.S Constitution giving the right of voting to women. Final state, MS ratifies in 1984!
1954 Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education over turns “separate but equal”

12. History (cont’d)
Civil rights acts of 1866 to 1964 and beyond have expanded the guarantees of citizenship to people who are not white
Voting Rights Act of makes it realistic for African Americans to vote throughout U.S.
By the 70s & 80s most immigrants to U.S. come from Pacific Rim, Latin America, and Asian countries
Today we see multi-ethnicity issues in the U.S. with evidence of the caste system still present…

13. Labels- Historically Oppressed Peoples-applied by the dominant group
Genetically Inferior
Culturally inferior
Deprived
Disadvantaged
Deficient
Different
Diverse

14. LABELS STAGES (cont’d)
Pre 1950s- slavery & Jim Crow laws; First Nations put on reservations; Latinos forbidden to speak native language in schools—(genetically and culturally inferior stage in history)
1950s, 1960s, 1970s- great social change! Oppressed groups move to next stage- from being labeled inferior to deficient Educators remarked :”How could these deficient people be educated?” Educational tracking followed in the schools……
1980s, 1990s- educators and the nation begin using terms different and diverse- acknowledgement of fellow humans and common valuing- advance of human rights

15. Effects of Discrimination
Those who can melt into the dominant culture.
The “melting pot” and assimilation did not work for all people.
1960s- Marginality of people- they operated and live in two cultures and were not really accepted in either culture Examples: Latino children forced to speak only English in schools and forgetting their native language and heritage. First Nations children schooling off the reservation.

16. Discrimination (cont’d)
1970s- Dualism- People are able to integrate successfully into two cultures, while remaining comfortable in the native culture, however, the two cultures do not know much about each other. Examples?
1980s, 1990s- Biculturalism- People function effectively in two cultures- respect and demand for biculturality. Both cultures learn and respect the other’s culture.
Today we look back on 50+ years of multicultural transformation; each group moving at its own pace