Role Of Diversity In The United States

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Diversity in the United States Katelynn O’Brien Eth/125 Cultural Diversity Tessa Thulien (August 20th, 2013) Although not exclusively about culture, diversity includes the study of different cultural orientations. Understanding diversity is critical to understanding society because the fundamental patterns of social change and social structure are increasingly influenced by diverse group experiences (Andersen & Taylor, 2007). In an increasingly globalized world, different people, languages, ideas, cultural practices, and material goods can be found far from their traditional homes. As a matter of fact, many places in the world now have relatively low percentages of indigenous populations. In the…show more content…
The increasing diversity of the United States requires a pluralistic view that recognizes the mutual benefits and contributions of multiple cultures of the country (Klein & Chen, 2001). Though there are several benefits, diversity creates unique problems that contribute to problems faced by the United States. Diversity may create ethnocentrism and this in turn leads to biased attitude and racist behavior towards other people. There may be the inability of an individual to regard another ethnic group as equal or valid members of the society. Many of the social problems witnessed in the United States can very easily be attributed to the diversity that exists in the country. Other challenges may result from the need to ensure that every citizen, native or otherwise, feels apart of the society. The education system, for example, must be one that accommodates everyone regardless of his or her background. There will also be a demand on the nation to guarantee fair representation of the divergent groups in key institutions. There are many benefits of a diverse society. First of all, the diversity of the United States enriches the social fabric of our communities. With pluralism, there are numerous opportunities to value the diversity that surrounds the United States. Most obviously,…show more content…
Generally acceptance is more than just tolerating differences that exists among different groups of people in a community. There is need to fully understand how the differences come about. The moment one understands how the differences arise, it becomes easy for him or her appreciate others from a totally different culture. This eventually creates an environment of cultural pluralism that is all inclusive. In the case of the United States, it is possible to make reference to the law and ensure that cultural pluralism is achieved. In my own community, I will take a similar approach of creating awareness. I will seek to ensure that those in my community understand how different people generally are, and the beauty of living in a diverse

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