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When asking three different people about their definitions
of culture and diversity, here are the answers I received:
What is your
definition of culture?
“Ok, so super short/simple description of culture: Everyone
has a culture: it is everything from the language you speak, the holidays you
celebrate, the way you are expected to act, the books you read, the foods you
eat, etc. Within this is subculture (Korean American, gothic, gay, etc).”
“Culture is the heritage background that influences a
persons life - food, traditions, behavior, expectations, extended family,
and/or religious beliefs. This may also include folklore and music.”
“Culture is made up of the foods, celebrations, customs,
traditions, ethics and morals, and belief systems share by a group of people.”
Some similarities between these definitions of culture and
the idea of culture that I have been studying are the things that fall into the
surface culture: traditions, language, heritage, food, and religious beliefs.
They also delved into the idea of some of the deeper cultural elements, such as
behavior expectations, ethics, and morals. They do not include many elements of
the deep culture, such as differences among cultures, and which parts of
cultures people choose to continue, change, or disengage in.
What is your
definition of diversity?
“Diversity is the exposure to different ideas, cultures,
and/or beliefs. A diverse community is made up of people from different
cultures or those with different ideas and beliefs. I don't think a diverse
community necessarily means people from different countries as much as it means
people from very different backgrounds.”
“Diversity is a collection of people from different cultures and backgrounds (socio-economic status, location, upbringing, and different life-style choices). I think true diversity isn't only about a random sample of people from various cultures and backgrounds, but about that mixed group of people having a tolerance for others who do not share their same beliefs or way of living.”
“As for diversity, it is differences in age, nationality, ethnicity, language, differing abilities, region, religion, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.”
There are many aspects of the definition of diversity that I
have studies so far, such as diversity being differences in age, nationality,
ethnicity, language, abilities, religion, sexual orientation, and life styles.
Some things that have been omitted are diversity in relation to social
identities. I thought it was interesting that one definition included people
having a “tolerance for others who do not share their same beliefs or way of
living”.
Much of what these definitions state are ideas I had before
entering this course. It is interesting to me that two of the definitions of diversity
look at diversity as people of different backgrounds or cultures living
together in harmony, even though diversity is something that is present
regardless of whether we “get along” or not. In noticing what parts have been
omitted makes me see that I have learned to open my mind a lot more than before
enrolling in this program in considering the importance and impact that
diversity and culture have on myself and society as a whole.
Caroline
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. I think all educators and teachers should have this course so that they can learn how to deal with situations when it come to how diversity affects our lives.
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteWithin your post of culture and diversity you mentioned “tolerating” other cultures living in the world today. I find this an interesting word to ponder on. Tolerate leads me to believe sort of the other side of people’s nature. I can think of many situations where people tolerate each other even though they don’t agree with what’s happening. I know there was an incident where I brought my daughter to a babysitter’s house (co-worker’s daughter) with a lunch bag full of food she would eat. (I felt my daughter was a picky eater and brought food just in case she didn’t eat) My co-worker was a little upset because she felt that I brought food for my daughter because my co-worker “didn’t have any food at her house, or wouldn’t feed her” I understand that we come from different backgrounds. I was raised to supply food with my child so the situation wouldn’t look like my child was “just coming over to beg for their food.” She was raised that when people come over making dinner and feeding children is not a problem. I believe we tolerated each other’s methods by my co-worker accepting the fact that I was always going to send my child with a lunch bag and I had no problem if my child ate food that she was offered at her house. Thanks for sharing!