EDUC 6164 Week 3-Culture and Diversity

 

“Diversity is not about how we differ.  Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.”              Ola Joseph

It was interesting asking one of my colleagues, a friend, and a family for a definition of culture and diversity.  They each had a different perspective yet each definition helped to expand my thinking about culture and diversity.

Kathy (a work colleague) offered the following definitions:

Diversity is the idea of acceptance of groups or individuals. It goes deeper than just acknowledging or “putting up” with an individual or group of people that one may not view similar to them.  It is a term to show understanding of the differences of various people or groups (examples: race disability socioeconomic status etc.)

Culture- I think it can be beyond family. I think it could also be a group of people (meaning more than family) who share similar beliefs and ideas and as that group they continue to pass on those beliefs and ideas from generation to generation and therefore the "culture" continues to exist with certain expectations.

Leigh (a friend) offered the following definitions:

Culture is what you are born into and taught by your family

Diversity is how the different cultures learn to get along 

with each other and accept their differences and similarities.

Sarah (my daughter) offered the following:

Diversity:  everyone's different ethnicity, different cultural beliefs, styles of living, different religions, people’s differences

Culture:  every different society’s way of life-every culture is different and has a different mindset, how people are brought up,  environmental and social factors that come together to make a culture that people embrace.

I find this assignment fascinating as each viewed culture and diversity in similar yet different ways.  I do like how each definition connected to what we have been learning.  For example, in Kathy’s definition she talks about culture as beliefs and ideas that are passed down from generation to generation and that culture goes beyond family.   In identifying that culture goes beyond family, I think Kathy may be referring to other aspects that were offered by the panelists in week two of our course (“gestures we make, how we make eye contact, way we hold our bodies” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).    Leigh in defining culture makes reference to culture “being taught by your family” which could mean so many things such as language, values, or religion.  However, I do think there are similarities between Leigh’s statement and Janet Gonzalez-Mena (2011) who states that culture is “learned from the people around you” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).  Sarah’s definition reinforces the notion that “everybody has a culture” (Laureate Education Inc., 2011).

I enjoyed hearing their definitions of diversity and culture as it encouraged a great conversation.   I think their definitions help me to understand how similar and different we are as individuals.    In week two the panelists offered many different descriptions of culture and diversity.   I think all sources help me to understand the complexity of both words.  In the end it is culture and diversity that makes us who we are.   And by acknowledging our similarities and differences we embrace our culture and diversity.

References

Laureate Education Inc. (2011).  Perspectives on Diversity and Equity-“Culture and Diversity”.  Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com

Laureate Education, Inc., (2011)  Family cultures: Dynamic interactions. [Video Webcast] Retrieved from http:// sylvan.live.ecollege.com