Diversity, what does this word mean to you? What does this word mean in a world where we tend to look the other way if we see things that create personal discomfort especially if it does not affect us. Diversity particularly in the field of psychology as described by Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2012) required us to reach beyond the common definition of racial, ethnic, religious affiliation and look inward toward ourselves seeking to understand our level of acceptance in relation to diversity in that have we learned to accept differences or do we expect people to assimilate into our cultural norms?
Regardless of the answer to this genuine diversity is allocentric (Schneider pp. 326) in that the best for the group may not be assimilation but acceptance of diversity and embracing others as they are for who and what they are without expectations or ideals on behavior or roles to be assumed. Socially we have come to accept cultural distrust of different religions, racial tensions raise high when there is an encounter between officers and the population of different ethnicities, everyone points fingers but no one seems interested in long term sustainable solutions.
Bias takes many forms and is not exclusive to white middle class males but spans broadly across the globe. Individual ideas are shaped by what we are exposed to and our interpretations of potential risks, benefits, or motivations for our well being. Individuals who tend to stray beyond our norm are labeled (intentionally or unintentionally) and we often avoid “those people” or do our best to ensure their conformity with our expectations of them, either way it is bias, racist, or sexist if we expect others to change for our benefit or comfort.
Building intergroup respect and relationships is key to avoiding the assimilation assumption and should be based on broadening the scope of social norms, community outreach and collaboration, and showing that mutual respect for “all” people can slowly change imbedded preconceptions about others. Thus improving cultural diversity, social acceptance, and reducing stigma and bias.
Schneider, Frank W., Gruman, Jamie A., Coutts, Larry M. “Applied Social Psychology Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems”. Second Edition. 2012. Sage Publications.
I believe socially America has lost vision of the melting pot ideals from the past. As mass imigration occured, a good example is during the Irish potato famine. Irish imigrants who were already experincing religious tensions between prodistant and catholics at home brought these issues with them. As many settled in New York, division lines within neighborhoods developed (based on relisious ideals). The groups did not disperse into the already existing communities but clumped together. Some of this was due to lack of resources to move beyond the point of entry. Some of it was a need or desire to be among those they were familiar with and culturally at ease around.
Sadly, I think this is one small example of how groups tend to stickt together.
Unless there is a willingness to retain ones culture identity and not be assimilated while branching out into communities away from group clusters the melting pot is gone. Diversity and inclusion wihtout predetermined notions is a communial effort not on the effort of the existing group alone but all invlved parties.
You give a very interesting analysis that makes me think of the typical idea of the “American Melting Pot.” I agree with you in the sense that we expect people to assimilate to American culture, which pokes several holes in the whole “melting pot” idea. Many natural born Americans still think of themselves as the in-group, and people of foreign cultures as the out-group (just look at Donald Trump…) (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). Unfortunately, I do not think that we will ever be able to change everyone’s attitudes toward immigrants and people of different cultures. In fact, the ongoing presidential election is probably going to determine which direction the issue of racism and prejudice is going to go. Whichever candidate wins, there will hopefully be a more positive outcome than expected.
References::
Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A., & Coutts, L.M. (2012). Applied social psychology:
Understanding and addressing social and practical problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.