Ethnic Group and Diversity Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Group and Diversity Essay According to information provide by ask. com â€Å"Cultural diversity has affected society many ways. It has affected everything from how we speak to the clothes we wear and the food that we eat. † â€Å"America is widely known as the melting pot of the world. This means with immigrants coming and going so rapidly over history, we have a very diverse nation. † Some of the benefits of such a diverse nation is that we can learn from each other. We are able to learn of the languages, culture, and backgrounds of others. Having such a diverse nation allows us to see that all humans are equal. According to chacha. com â€Å"Cultural diversity best illustrates the want for equality. † This diversity that we have in the United States has allowed for so many learning experiences from each other. In the schools our children are learning from each other. Without diversity children would not learn that there are different people in the world. One of the negative impacts from such diversity is prejudice. There are groups that are still teaching children and adults that not all people are equal and this is a sad and unjust way to teach someone. What will U. S, Population look like in the year 2050? â€Å"The results of the 2010 U. S. Census project that the racial and ethnic makeup of the United States will undergo dramatic changes over the next few decades. In particular, by the year 2050 there will no longer be any clear racial and ethnic majority because the most rapidly growing number of residents in our nation today are of Hispanic and Asian descent. † This according to: The Center for American Progress. Also according to The Center for American Progress: The United States is undergoing a remarkable and profound demographic shift. Today, in eight states across our union, the majority of children are children of color. This by itself is not significant, but what is worth noting is that the very communities that are growing are the ones that are experiencing significant obstacles and disparities. Sadly, this too is unsurprising. For too long we have been watching the racial and ethnic disparities in education, employment, health, and wealth widen. We know the stories well. Communities of color suffer from high dropout rates, economic insecurity, and lack of health care while wealth gaps rise to record highs between whites and communities of color—the largest gap, in fact, since the government began publishing such data. We know so much about these challenges in part because of the comprehensive work by groups that focus on closing these gaps and in part due to the work of demographers who outline the urgency of reducing these disparities before we reach a point in American history when communities of color together make up a numerical majority. But there is a pressing need today to analyze the implications of the demographic change for local and national policy. We need to better understand how local communities are managing these changes in the face of daunting obstacles so that ultimately we can outline a positive vision of what our country could look like in 2050 if we truly work to close the gaps that exist over the next 40 years. Doing so will enable our nation to harness the full talent and drive of all our people. Progress 2050, a project of the Center for American Progress, seeks to do just that by: Working with the Center’s policy teams to create a more informed and inclusive policy agenda Exploring the implications of this demographic change for our economic, political, and cultural landscape Fostering a localized dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of diversity in communities across our country Helping craft a policy framework and narrative squarely focused on the opportunities of diversity for the future prosperity and well- being of our nation. Without open and frank discussion about the opportunities and challenges of diversity, anxieties about where our country is headed combined with the coming demographic change may generate more division and disturbing stories that counter the fundamentals of American democracy. We as a nation have been down this road before many times as wave upon wave of new immigrants, new Americans, arrived on our shores—often to face brutal discrimination and hardship. We triumphed each time, sometimes after many decades of discrimination, enabling the latest generations of Americans to assimilate and thrive, breathing new life into our economy and our democracy. But the stakes are even higher today. Today, discrimination abounds Escalation in voter suppression tactics. Hate crimes. Anti-immigrant sentiment. And a general sense across the country that our federal, state, and local governments and social and economic institutions are failing to provide the leadership needed to move us meaningfully beyond the economic crisis of the Great Recession. Progress 2050 is uniquely positioned to counter these challenges by offering an alternative. Certainly a progressive voice is needed now. We cannot allow the conversation about the future of this country to be dominated by voices on the right who advocate a very narrow definition of the American ideal. The demographic shift is a reality we must accept and embrace. And a clear vision of where we want our country to be in 2050 and how to get there is urgently needed . Working in collaboration with progressive and civil rights organizations, Progress 2050 will help devise that path forward. If there are not changes made in policies for the poorer people and not just ethnic groups, but all poor people I feel that the United States will lose chances to make a better nation. It would be better to figure out how to advance the poorer people so that they would be an investment to our own Country. Including the people that are already citizens here that were born citizens here. I know that immigrants are offered money to begin their own businesses, why not offer that to citizens that are already here as well that can not afford the cost to start their own business. † What Challenges does the United States face due to the diversity of its people? â€Å"For all the platitudes about melting pots, mosaics, and rainbow coalitions, many regard the browning of America as a profoundly disturbing trend. Miscegenation is still regarded as culturally taboo on Main Street. As recently as 20 years ago, some states still had laws in place forbidding interracial marriage. † Scott London also said â€Å"Many people complain that miscegenation waters down their culture. Some Jews, for example, blame the disintegration of Judaism on the growing rate of interfaith marriages in America. Similarly, a number of Indian tribes are concerned that thinning bloodlines will lead to the statistical extermination of their people. A century ago, half of all Indians in the U. S. were considered full-bloods. Today the number is down to about 20 percent. On Indian reservations, there is now a suicide problem among young half-breeds who dont feel sufficiently pure. Also from an article from Scott London: â€Å"As writer Richard Rodriguez has pointed out, â€Å"we have never had an especially rich vocabulary for miscegenation. † While other cultures speak of themselves as mestizos, mulattoes, and creoles, we persist in referring to ourselves using clumsy designations like Asian-American, African-American, Native American, and even Anglo-American. Curiously, the 1990 census form had boxes for white, black and other, but not for multiracial. Bureaucrats in Washington are now preparing a form for the 2000 census. It seems that as much as the United States thinks it is ready for more diversity we as a Country are not. More still must be done to include all races and ethnic backgrounds. From the way things seem one day we may just be all one big mixed race. What are the benefits of such a diverse society? There are many benefits to having such a diverse society. Some of these include learning from each other. Learning thins such as cultural differences and the why of it. We can even learn languages from each other. In a culturally diverse nation we learn that all humans are the same with just different backgrounds. Our children then do not even realize that there ever was a place in American history where others were treated as less than human. In an article by Scott London he says â€Å"As I see it, the mingling and the mixing of race is a sign that we are evolving toward a higher, more integrated state as a culture. One indication of this is the fact that, as the French theologian Teilhard de Chardin put it, union differentiates. â€Å"The smaller the differences are between people, the more they insist on them. † â€Å"Anthropologists have long observed that as people and cultures evolve, they become more and more distinctive. They dont shed the qualities that make them unique, they refine and develop them. Diversity appears to be a function of social evolution. † â€Å"Of course, diversity doesnt mean a thing if it doesnt challenge us to be more open-minded and inclusive. All too often, what passes for diversity are merely brown, black, and white versions of the same political ideology. There will always be those who overemphasize our diversity and fail to appreciate our essential unity, just as there will always be those who overemphasize our unity and fail to recognize the virtues of diversity. Its a delicate balance. Our founding fathers captured this tension in our national motto, E Pluribus Unum — from the many, one. Its the great paradox of America: what we have in common is diversity. When the founders laid out Americas first principles two hundred years ago, they took inspiration from the Iroquois Indian Confederacy. The Indian tribes modeled this principle of unity in diversity by retaining their individuality while at the same time belonging to a common network in the name of progress and mutual protection. † America can benefit from diversity when Americans are taught that all human beings are equal. Education is the key to this perfect diversity. Yes, education of our children, but why not education of their parents as well? Parents prejudice has been passed down to. How can society foster a climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism in the United States? According to: MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Zayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. Fostering an environment that is tolerant of and conducive to cultural diversity is necessary for upholding democracy in an age dominated by information and communication technologies. In democratic societies, media have been central to the democratic process, giving an outlet to diverse voices and channeling diversity into a process of democratic integration or public opinion and will formation. A free debate is necessary to reach an integrative unity, and media pluralism goes a long way toward achieving such a goal (Tehranian, 1999). In much the same way freedom of expression is important to assert cultural and individual identities, access to information is important for an active participation in decision making and contribution to democratic processes. Although media plays a vital role in society fostering a climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism in the U. S. it still must begin with education. The Government will have to begin a campaign in the nation’s schools and provide education for parents as well. Parents that have been taught prejudice and to deny acceptance and cultural pluralism. Many of these parents, especially in the South, have been taught that African Americans are a lesser human race, the same for any race or culture except the white race. The prejudice has also been taught to the African American children as well. The thinking that all White people are racist and prejudice has been passed down from generation to generation of African Americans as well as white Americans. Spanish/Mexican Americans are taught the same thing and many prejudice white Americans teach this negativity about any race that is not white. These people have some where gotten the idea that the white race is superior to any other race, this can just not be ignored by the Government. It must start with our children and a campaign for them and their parents as well. Then the media could come in at this point and focus on the greatness of such teaching. In what ways does the media perpetuate stereotyping and prejudice? Provide examples to support your assertion. â€Å"The pace with which media have been changing over the past few decades is phenomenal, to say the least. The increased global connectivity along with the convergence of communication infrastructures, media content and electronic devices have dramatically changed the way we experience media and interact with it (Jenkins, 2006). More than ever before, there has been an exponential multiplication of information and communication technologies and growth in media services and modes of delivery. For Tehranian (1999), the changes in technology, the transformation of media and the globalization of communication have a strong bearing on the ability of individuals and groups to safeguard diversity. Three interrelated types of media can be identified with different implications: Macromedia of communication (which are associated with global satellite and computer networks, trans-border data flows, scientific and professional electronic mailing, and commercial advertising) support the globalization of national markets, societies and cultures, though they privilege the power centers more than the periphery; Mesomedia of communication (such as the press, print media, audio-visual media, the film industry, and news agencies) are usually under the control of national governments or commercial and pressure groups and, as such, function mostly as agents of national integration and social mobilization; and Micromedia of communication (such as the telephone, copying machines, audio and video recorders, tapes, PCs, and the Web) have primarily empowered the centrifugal forces of dissent at the peripheries of power. They provide channels for counter-hegemonic projects of cultural resistance, socio-political participation and autonomous development. The affordability and accessibility of micromedia are not without implication on world peripheries which have increasingly been focusing on modernization, indigenous development, cultural identity, and political communication formation (Tehranian, 1999). † This from MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESZayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. The effect of media is neither monolithic nor uniform. Media plays a central role in fostering the effect of the culture industry; they shape our relationship with each other. Individuals have developed a taste for what media shows, we as a nation consume what media promotes, and it seems that we as a nation act with the information media reveals, we also interpret things by what the media communicate to us. In what ways does the media help foster appreciation for diversity? Provide examples to support your assertion. Fostering an environment that is tolerant of and conducive to cultural diversity is necessary for upholding democracy in an age dominated by information and communication technologies. In democratic societies, media have been central to the democratic process, giving an outlet to diverse voices and channeling diversity into a process of democratic integration or public opinion and will formation. A free debate is necessary to reach an integrative unity, and media pluralism goes a long way toward achieving such a goal (Tehranian, 1999). In much the same way freedom of expression is important to assert cultural and individual identities, access to information is important for an active participation in decision making and contribution to democratic processes. This from MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESZayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. The media helps foster an appreciation for diversity when the owners, reporters, journalists, and so forth all have an agenda to do so. We also have to look at what the owners of a station, reporters, and other employees believe themselves. If they appreciate diversity themselves then they are more likely to promote diversity. For example: Take a white reporter and give him the assignment of reporting on diversity. His report is going to be based on what he believes. If he has an appreciation for diversity then he will help to foster that. But if he is prejudice and does not support the coming together of races and cultures as well as immigration, then his report is going to reflect that. The sad thing is if his report is negative he will impact many people just due to the fact that people have their favorite news and other media channels. If he supports diversity he will win over many or at least make many start thinking about their own beliefs and feelings on the matter. How might individuals and the United States work together to reduce prejudice and increase appreciation for diversity? According to Building One Nation: A Study of What is Being Done Today in Schools, Neighborhoods, and the Workplace. â€Å"Race has played a paradoxical role in American society since the founding of the country. While our racial and ethnic diversity has been a source of great strength, it has also been our central moral challenge. Our nation has made great strides in addressing prejudice and discrimination during this century. Laws that denied citizenship to people because of their race or ethnicity have been repealed. Discrimination at the ballot box and in housing, employment, education, and public facilities is illegal. Segregated lunch counters, movie theaters, water fountains, and restrooms are no longer part of the American landscape. Racial tolerance and understanding have increased manyfold. At the same time, research and everyday experience demonstrate that discrimination continues to infest American society, resulting in lost opportunities for too many individuals. † To make changes we as individuals and the United States as a Country must work together to reduce prejudice and increase appreciation for diversity. The first thing we must do is to bring these issues to light by discussion. Without these issues being discussed by individuals and the United States it will never be addressed. We must also increase intergroup contact situations. We must create intergroup panels of mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds. From these discussions the debate must be discussed in detail among the groups. Through this discussion changes must be made in institutions, schools, churches, and other group forums. If we implement these things we must implement them to each individual group at age appropriate levels. â€Å" Educational Approaches And Strategies (K-12) A school is a natural setting in which to forge enduring bonds among children from different backgrounds. Research primarily in integrated educational situations clearly demonstrates that when individuals are permitted to deal with one another across racial and ethnic lines in cooperative, equal-status activities with plenty of room for one-on-one exchanges and with support from authority figures, there is an excellent chance that positive intergroup relations will evolve. In this section we consider numerous strategies for improving the rapport among children in Kindergarten through high school, under the following headings: Curriculum Reform Training and Retraining of Teachers School Desegregation Cooperative Learning Paired Programs Conflict Resolution Youth Leadership Training in Desegregated Settings. Diversity In Higher Education Given the level of segregation in our nations communities as well as in our primary and secondary schools, many students meet across racial lines for the first time when they reach college. Colleges and universities therefore play a pivotal role in conveying an appreciation of American diversity and in breaking the cycle of intolerance. Educational Approaches And Strategies (K-12) A school is a natural setting in which to forge enduring bonds among children from different backgrounds. Research primarily in integrated educational situations clearly demonstrates that when individuals are permitted to deal with one another across racial and ethnic lines in cooperative, equal-status activities with plenty of room for one-on-one exchanges and with support from authority figures, there is an excellent chance that positive intergroup relations will evolve. In this section we consider numerous strategies for improving the rapport among children in Kindergarten through high school, under the following headings: Curriculum Reform Training and Retraining of Teachers School Desegregation Cooperative Learning Paired Programs Conflict Resolution Youth Leadership Training in Desegregated Settings. Diversity in Higher Education Given the level of segregation in our nations communities as well as in our primary and secondary schools, many students meet across racial lines for the first time when they reach college. Colleges and universities therefore play a pivotal role in conveying an appreciation of American diversity and in breaking the cycle of intolerance. † This according to: Building One Nation: A Study of What is Being Done Today in Schools, Neighborhoods, and the Workplace. We must also intergrate neighborhoods and make them more diverse. This is another area where the United States and individuals must come together to discuss and come up with plans to intergrate neighborhoods. How might a person change their own behaviors to be more inclusive and pluralistic? People can change their own attitudes by educating themselves. They can also inter-relate with diverse groups of people, different racial groups and different ethnic groups. People can start by going to their children’s school and meeting all of the classmates. Parents can encourage their children to interact with all students in their class. When parents give their children parties they can make sure that they and their children invite individuals from all races and ethnic groups. Adults can also have intergroup relations in the workplace. If a person wants to make a change the workplace would be a great place to start. Individuals could take the initiative to have conversations with individuals of different races or ethnic backgrounds. They could start inviting those of different racial and ethnic groups to have lunch with them. There are many things that individuals can do to change their own behaviors and include multi-cultural individuals into their own daily lives. The question is Are they willing to make the change? Sources and References: http://www. americanprogress. org/issues/race/report/2011/10/18/10477/progress-2050/b http://www. ask. com http://www. scottlondon. com/articles/newface. html http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/docview/884629314? accountid=35812 MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Zayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. http://www. civilrights. org/publications/reports/building_one_nation/.