Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

It was an exciting experience to gain insights from the following three acquaintances on “Culture and Diversity”:

Ike M. (male) country of origin (Nigeria)

Culture is a man made agreement of people on how to bring themselves together.

Diversity: These are the things that make one group of people different from the other.

Idaudu (female) country of origin (USA) whose parents migrated from Africa

Culture is shared beliefs, attitude, language and way of life.

Diversity is difference in culture

Vanessa H. (female) country of origin (USA)

Culture is the enrichment of one’s life, following the same steps as one’s ancestors in for example, preparing the same foods, telling old stories and the wearing of clothes etc.

Diversity: This is the intermixing of different people from all different walks of life.

Reflecting on the answers that I have received on culture that have been included in our course of studies are those that the speakers on the video (Laureate Education, 2011) uphold as “external manifestations” such as food and the telling of stories. However, my three acquaintances also saw culture as language, attitudes, agreement-an enrichment of one's life.

For all three persons, an acknowledgement of diversity as “differences” that distinguished one group from another was a common concept that ran through the definition. However, a deep understanding about, showing respect for and valuing cultures and diversities in terms of things like  abilities/disabilities, family structure/ roles of the family, ideas on education and the impact of religion  among other ideas that would influence our thinking, actions and perceptions  were not  discussed in any depth by my three acquaintances.

            I have gained powerful knowledge from both the definitions and the immersion into the course so far on culture and diversity. I realize that nothing can be taken for granted and that we certainly exist in a very diverse and multicultural world.  The way we think about others, act towards them and form perceptions about the world /society are all parts of our deep culture and each ethnicity, gender, race, religion and even age group, are all diverse from the other based their own heritage of deep culture, family orientation and practices. Thus when we come together to work and live we not only form a community but we also construct a diverse milieu.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer).  (2011). Family cultures: dynamic interactions [video webcast].  Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3398176_1%26url%3D