Understanding human differences: multicultural education for a diverse America

section 1: Individual attitudes and interpersonal relations ch. 1. Understanding ourselves and others: clarifying values and language The role of values in human differences What is the relationship between a person's values and behaviors? What inconsistencies exist between American values and American behaviors? Should parents rather than schools teach values to children? What problems can interfere with making ethical decisions? Defining terms related to human differences How do negative attitudes What is the difference between race, ethnicity, and nationality? What are minority groups and why are they called minority groups? How have labels been used to define and control subordinate groups? What is the impact of labels on individuals who are labeled? How are negative bureaucratic terms as harmful as social derisive terms? How has our society responded to social problems experience by minority groups? ch. 2. Understanding prejudice and misconceptions of prejudice Conceptions and misconceptions of prejudice How are prejudices reflected in American media? What examples of prejudice exist in our language? How does gender prejudice in our language promote sexist attitudes? What sexist terms for men could be considered derisive? Aren't some prejudices positive? Consequences and causes of prejudice I prejudice the main cause of discrimination in society? How does the interest theory explain discrimination? How is self-interest involved in the internal colonialism theory? How is discrimination explained by the institutional discrimination theory? What factors promote the development of prejudice? How does frustration cause prejudice? What do stereotypes have to do with uncertainty and how do they cause prejudice? How does threat to self-esteem cause prejudice? How does competition for status, wealth, and power cause prejudice? The perpetuation of prejudice How are prejudices perpetuated? Denial rationalizations Victim-blaming rationalizations Avoidance rationalizations ch. 3. Communication, conflict, and conflict resolution Communication and conflict What is an appropriate definition of communication? How does assigning meaning lead to conflict? How does nonverbal communication lead to conflict? How does effective communication occur? What does this communication model suggest about conflict resolution? How can attitudes toward people or groups create conflict? What are the levels of cultural awareness? Culture, communication style, and conflict What are some communication style differences that are based on culture? How does gender influence communication styles? How do gender differences in communication styles lead to misunderstanding and conflict? Conflict resolution With so much conflict occurring, how are conflicts resolved? How do people develop moral reasoning abilities?

section 2: Cultural foundations of oppression in the United States ch. 4. Immigrants and oppression: the assault on cultural and language diversity As the dominant ethnic group, how did British colonists react to diversity? Causes of Xenophobia and nativism in the United States Nativism as anti-Catholicism Nativism as anti-radicalism Nativism, politics, and social change How successful were the nativists in their political activities? Why did nativists fail to form a major political party? What influenced twentieth-century nativist attitudes in America? What new development affected xenophobic attitudes in the Untied States? How did racism affect nativist attitudes and actions? What groups were affected by the addition of racism to xenophobia? The paradox of xenophobia and nativism in a nation of immigrants How is the English Only movement an example of xenophobic behavior? How have xenophobic attitudes promoted violent behavior? What American nativist attitudes are evident today? How do immigrants contribute to the American economy? The value of cultural and linguistic diversity Do Americans support or oppose linguistic diversity? Why do immigrant families tend to lose their native language? What alternative pedagogical strategy have American educators proposed? Have research studies identified effective approaches to ELL instruction? Why should educators be advocates for bilingual programs? What myths about immigrants do many Americans believe? ch. 5. Race and oppression: the experiences of people of color in America Native Americans What did Europeans learn from Native Americans? What did European settlers fail to learn from Native Americans? What relationships did colonists have with native people? What was the main source of conflict between Europeans and Indians? Why are Indian treaties still important today? Why were Native American treaties consistently violated? What are other contemporary issues affecting indigenous people? African Americans How were the black indentured servants treated differently? Where and how did the British procure Africans? Why did so many Africans die during the Middle Passage? What was it like to be a slave? How did Africans resist the oppression of slavery? Who opposed slavery and what did they do? Why did blacks fight on the American side during the Revolutionary War? How did the U.S. Constitution address the issue of slavery? Were these anti-slavery organizations widely supported and effective? What was the Underground Railroad? Did slaves and free blacks fight for the Union during the Civil War? Did blacks play a role in shaping the new South? How did black citizens in the South respond to this transformation? What did Du Bois want for black Americans? What were black Americans doing to cope with race problems? What was the Harlem Renaissance? Was there a decrease in discrimination against blacks after World War I? Did the New Deal programs help black Americans? What gains did black Americans make during World War II What happened to African Americans after the war? What did the civil rights movement achieve for African Americans? Asian Americans What actions did nativists initially take against the Chinese in America? Why didn't Chinese men bring their wives and families? Who employed Chinese immigrants? What kind of hostile actions did the Chinese encounter? How did Americans view the Japanese before World War II? What was a picture bride? Where were Japanese immigrants employed? How did the war affect American attitudes toward Japanese families living in the United States? What actions were taken against the Japanese during World War II? What other Asian immigrants faced anti-Asian attitudes? What is the model minority myth? How does the model minority myth distort reality? Hispanic Americans (Latinos/as) What was the first Spanish-speaking group to come to the United States? What was the experience like for Mexicans immigrating to the United States? What did Nativists do to keep Mexicans from immigrating? Why did attitudes toward Mexicans change during world War II? What were the Zoo Suit Riots? Was it better for Latinos afters the war? How did Mexican Americans respond to discrimination after the war? How did Puerto Ricans become citizens of the United States? What effect did becoming part of the United States have on Puerto Rico? What happened to the Cubans who came to the United States? What other Latino groups live in the United States? Why have many Americans objected to Latino immigration? ch.6. Religion and oppression: the struggle for religious freedom Religious diversity in Colonial America How did the first colonists deal with religious diversity? How did the colonies promote the concept of religious freedom? How was the principle of religious freedom established in all the colonies? The emerging concept of religious freedom What was the relationship between Deism and Christianity? Why was there so little reference to religion in the original Constitution? Why wasn't religious freedom guaranteed in the Constitution? Did the First Amendment establish religious freedom? Was any group actively persecuted for their religious beliefs? The rise and fall of anti-Catholicism What was the impact of large numbers of Catholics immigrants? Why was hostility directed against Catholics? What were the Philadelphia Bible Riots? What caused anti-Catholic sentiments in the United States to subside? How did religious diversity increase following the Civil War? What non-Christian religions were included among immigrants? did increasing numbers of non-Christians cause anti-Catholic prejudice to diminish? How did the 1928 election demonstrate anti-Catholic prejudice? How were Jews affected by the "Americanization of religion"? Anti-Semitism in America What influence did the Holocaust have on American attitudes? The impact of immigration reform on religious diversity How have schools taught students about the concept of religious freedom? How can public schools teach about religion in a way that respects religions? ch. 7. Rejecting oppressive relationships: the logic of cultural pluralism for a diverse society Diversity in the United States Attitudes about diversity What does it mean to have an Anglo conformity perspective? How did the BIA boarding schools promote Anglo conformity with Indian children? What does it mean to describe America as a melting pot? How is the separatist perspective negative? What attitudes about diversity does pluralism promote? Why should American society become pluralistic? Valuing individual differences Must one be actively involved in change to be a pluralist? what kinds of activities can create social change?

section 3: Contemporary dilemmas for intergroup relations ch. 8. Racism: confronting a legacy of white domination in America Cultural racism How is racism taught to children and youth in our schools? How does society reinforce the cultural racism taught in school? Individual racism What denial rationalizations justify individual racism? What victim-blaming rationalizations justify individual racism? What avoidance rationalizations justify individual racism Institutional racism How is institutional racism reflected in statistics on employment? How does institutional racism influence hiring decisions? How has institutional racism influenced the development of segregated neighborhoods? How does institutional racism occur in schools? How does institutional racism affect politics? How can institutional racism be reduced in the United States? How do advocates and critics assess the effectiveness of affirmative action programs? What are some consequences of racial discrimination? What remedies have been proposed to address institutional racism? ch.9. Sexism: where the personal becomes political Cultural sexism What gender bias did women confront in the earliest years of the United States? How and when did forms of discrimination change? What effect did the Civil War have on women's demands for gender equality? What progress and what resistance to women's rights occurred in the early twentieth century? did women workers during World War II prove their competence? What role did the media play in women being forced out of their jobs? How did women respond to the pressure to stay home and not have a career? What other sexist messages exist in American culture? How does learning sexist language influence attitudes and behavior? what do studies say about who benefits from marriage in our culture? Individual sexism "Male chauvinists" or a "feminist" Androgynous What kind of abuse do women encounter in the United States? How has rape been misunderstood in the United States? Why do women choose not to report a rape or attempted rape? Institutional sexism Why are men earning more than women in the workforce? Economic consequences of institutional sexism for women How is sexual harassment a significant problem for women in the workforce? what are the workplace guidelines for sexual harassment in the United States? Are American employers following sexual harassment guidelines? How much of a problem is sexual harassment in the schools? Gender issues in schools Gender issues for boys Gender equity issues addressed in schools ch. 10. Heterosexism: transforming homosexuality from deviant to different The heterosexual assumption When was the heterosexual assumption challenged? The Kinsey Report What has current research reported with regard to homosexuality? Cultural heterosexism What historical evidence has described the existence of homosexuality? How have attitudes of the American people changed concerning homosexuality? What are some anti-gay cultural and religious beliefs? Individual heterosexism Myths about homosexuality Institutional heterosexism Is the demand for gay rights really a demand for special privileges? How can homosexuals be discriminated against if they don't reveal their identity? Why do homosexuals want legal recognition for domestic partnerships? If domestic partnerships were recognized, why would homosexuals wish to marry? What harm is done to a child raised by gay parents? Why have homosexuals always been excluded from military service? Why should homosexuals be allowed become teachers? Why are the terms bisexual and transgender being linked to gays and lesbians ch.11. Classism: misperceptions and myths about income, wealth, and poverty Cultural classism What was the response in England to people in poverty? what was the response to poverty in America during the colonial period? What happened to the "religious obligation" to help the poor? Why were people who had a job so close to poverty? Why was it so difficult to find work? Why did people think poorhouses were the solution to poverty? Why were children removed from poorhouses? What was the response to the needs of poor people? What did workers do to protest employer exploitation? How did unions ultimately help workers to gain higher salaries? How did the federal government address unemployment in the 1930s? What was the outcome of the New Deal? Individual classism How are children from low-income families disadvantaged in schools? How can schools make a difference in the lives of poor children? How has the federal government addressed the disadvantages for low-income students? Why should problems outside of school affect a child's performance in school? How do we know that addressing the social problems of children living in poverty will improve their academic achievement? Myths about welfare recipients Institutional classism Why is the disparity between the richest and poorest Americans increasing? How have salaries in the United States been affected by recent economic changes? How large is the disparity of wealth in the United States? Who suffers most from poverty? Ageism How do the market place and the media portray elderly people in a negative way? What are some economic consequences of ageism for both the elderly and youth? How do institutions exploit poor people? How do businesses discriminate against poor people? What can federal and state governments do to assist families living in poverty? ch.12. Ableism: disability does not mean inability Why should people with disabilities be considered a minority group? Cultural ableism Historical perceptions of people with disabilities How do scholars describe a disability culture? Individual ableism What assumptions are made about people with disabilities? What labels represent legitimate ways of identifying people? What are some current controversies about labeling children? How can negative attitudes be change? Institutional ableism Why were people with disabilities placed in institutions? How were institutions for people with disabilities established in the United States? What evidence exist that negative attitudes prevailed in institutions and in society? Are institutions for people with disabilities providing good care today? What is the alternative to placing people with disabilities in institutions? Cost of care for people with disabilities How do other countries respond to the needs of people with disabilities? How does the U.S. government provide support for people with disabilities? How does the United States support people with disabilities who want to live independently? Is there discrimination against people with disabilities living in communities? How difficult is it to change people's attitudes?

section 4: The challenge of diversity to American institutions

ch.13. Pluralism in schools: the promise of multicultural education

Defining multicultural education

Traditional assumptions in American education

What body of knowledge have essentialists identified?

What essential human values do schools teach?

How do essentialists define or describe learning?

What is the role of the essentialist teacher in helping students learn?

Why are students not learning in essentialist schools?

Assumptions of multicultural education

What assumptions do multicultural educators make about curriculum?

Why is it necessary to take a conceptual approach to curriculum?

What is the hidden curriculum?

Why have schools implemented multicultural curriculum?

How do multicultural educators describe learning?

In what different ways do individuals learn?

Why is self-confidence necessary for learning?

What must teachers do to implement a multicultural education approach?

What does it mean to implement democratic practices in schools?

What specific instructional strategies are recommended for teachers?

How can multicultural education help to reduce student prejudice?

Multicultural education as a context for culturally responsive teaching

Culturally responsive teaching

How does culturally responsive teaching address multicultural education goals?

Current issues that make culturally responsive teaching difficult

What students benefit from culturally responsive teaching?

Characteristics of a culturally responsive teacher

What actual classroom experiences illustrate culturally responsive teaching?

What other strategies for culturally responsive teaching have been advocated?

Is multicultural education too idealistic?

ch.14. Pluralism in society: creating unity in a diverse America

Federal Government

The Affirmative Action debate

Judicial limitations on Affirmative Action

Affirmative Action and quotas

Affirmative Action for minority-owned businesses

The future of Affirmative Action

Higher education

Criticism of diversity goals in higher education

Diversity in college faculty and course content

Results and possibilities

Corporate and small business

Corporate litigation

Workplace diversity

Diversity training programs

Lingering problems

Mass media

Increasing media representation of human diversity

Media presentation and language

Representation of diversity in media: present and future

Military services

Military desegregation

Integration problems

Diversity policy and gender

Religion and sexual orientation

Military leadership.