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Diversity Does Not Equal Pluralism

By Dr. Daniel Georges-Abeyie

January 14, 2002

*Introduction:

Play---Paranda and Afro-Latino CDs

-The significance of my name, “Georges-Abeyie”

-Why I pronounce it as I do and not as the Fanti would

-The beautiful rainbow or ethnicity, nationality, race, color, and phenotype
at SJSU and in the Bay Region:

1) mention my walk in Mountainview

Shoreline Park---diversity without pluralism

-That, which is beautiful to some, is vile and potentially deadly to
another:mention the Macdonald’s incident mentioned by a student (Doesn’t
anyone speak English in here!)----Not everyone values diversity much less
pluralism!

-2% to 5% of the world’s population respects and advocates
diversity!

-San Jose, CA Veterans Day Parade and the Confederate Battle Flag

-Divergent Views on the Significance of September 11

th

and how lacking in

unity we are as a nation-state: the USA as (a) nation-state(s)

-“Diversity Does Not Equal Pluralism

-Pluralism requires the assumption of comparable worth with interaction
on a primary as well as secondary basis

-Why I am speaking today and my role within Amnesty International USA

-Some observations I voiced to Dr. Dorosz in reference to the lack of
pluralism on campus
-Multicultural Advisory and Assessment Committee (MAAC)
-Program to Abolish the Death Penalty National Steering Committee
-Western Regional Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
-National Crisis Response Team
-The Stressing of Strategic and Tactical Goals and Their Link to
Perception, Difference, and Self-Interest

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-My reality as an official in AIUSA is

to address that which is most

divisive

among human beings and that which divides us is whatever we

perceive as different: the physical, the moral, the ideological, the religious!

-I am sent by Amnesty International to where people are dying! I am sent
where people are killing and maiming---butchering---each other!

-Examples of Perception, Difference, and Perceived Self-Interest

-looking at ones finger nails
-how does one cross ones legs
-tattoos, body and facial piercing

-“Without looking, describe the person to your right or left,
or immediately behind you!” We remember or notice that
which is distinct, that is, that which is different

-Historic Reasons for Interethnic-Interracial Hostility:

Eritrean v.

Ethiopian ( who can one marry; mention the taxi cab incident),
Gullah/Geechee v. Whites, El Salvadoran v. Mexican (mention
apartment incident setting-up the bed),
Mexican National v. Chicano, Vietnamese v. Chinese

-We notice that which is different, that which is usual

-We are judgmental about deviations from what is normative to us!

-speech:

language, high-and-low context cultures, emotive v.
mechanical expression, dialect and accent, syntax and
sound of the spoken word---is it glottal (mention Thay
and Koreans)

-music:

rap, tres guitar, dialect

-diet:

food, soul food and Latino v. continental

-attire:

color and brightness, tightness, extent of flesh exposed

-personal hygiene:

breath and body odor (We are what we eat!)

-physical/personal space:

touching of hands and of bodies

(mention Thay and Alia), space between individuals, interaction
between persons of the same or opposite sexes

appropriate gender role-sets:

what is feminine or masculine, what
is effeminate, view on homosexuality,
bisexuality, and transgendered
persons, chauvinism v. machismo

morality: single moms v. illegitimate births:

Scandinavians v.

Latinos and African-Americans,
dating patterns, holding hands

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-politeness v. rudeness:

Highly stratified societies, holding
doors, saying “thank you”

-The reality of Social Distance

-Define Social Distance
-Social Distance Scale
-Social Distance over the generations

-Why the Social Distance?!

-Different personal and group experiences (ethnic, racial, religious,
nationality) impact perception

-Initial contact and increased contact usually heightens perceptions of
difference
-Initial contact and increased contact usually intensifies hostility

-Interaction between the sexes when racial and ethnic difference coexists
usually results in male display behavior and heightened fear by females!

-perception is

as real

as “objective fact”:

mention the furniture store

incident

-the lack of assimilation

-assimilation models:

diversity, pluralism, dominance

-We fear that which is different! Don’t forget that

initial

contact between

diverse groups usually results in increased perception of difference,
increased recognition of competition for scarce resources, and increased
conflict

-We do not respect that which is different!

-societies and cultures marked by severe stratification are perceived by
outsiders not only as rigid but as rude in terms of social etiquette:

note

the holding of doors

-societies and cultures which stress the group rather than the individual
result in behavior that is viewed as outsiders as rude:

mention the

movement of Asians in mass or in group formations/tours in Las Vegas

-We believe in

atavism

: note TV and movie images of the good guy v. the

bad guy!

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-We believe that some people

do not truly belong!

-We believe that some people

did not contribute

to the national

development/national welfare (writing Blacks, Asians, and Latinos out of
US Western History)

-We believe that some people are a

threat

(mention the elderly Asian

Woman on 4

th

Street, mention the Incidents at Schindler’s List and Amistad

movies; mention the Pawnee in Dances with Wolves and the Apache; Utu

-We don’t respect or valuation that which is non-utilitarian; mention the
relationships and outcome of relationships in the movie Black Robe

-Social Judgement Is a Reality: Lessons from Social Judgment Theory!

-We recognize

dysfunctional role-sets

but do not truly understand or

appreciate the significance of

Structural-Functionalism

-The fact that ---People do not change simply because one
makes them aware of the brutalizing and offensive aspects of
their behavior is the lesson taught by

Cognitive Dissonance

Theory: The Myth of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King

-

by

Cognitive Dissonance Theory- notes that one must

“voluntarily” change behavior (opt into desired
behavior) before “permanent” change in cognition

-General Valuations exist and they are frequently

-Contradictory
-We engage in the Delusion of Denial: General Valuations, Specific
Valuations, Actualization of the Specific Valuation

-We frequently do not say what we perceive!

-We frequently do not do what we say!

-So, how do we address diversity in the class room?

-We recognize that diversity does not equal pluralism!

-We recognize difference!

There are different role-sets just as

chairs and tables have different functions!

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-We recognize that difference is neutral, that it is neither good nor
bad until one establishes valuations, preferences, rewards/benefits!

-We attempt to clearly and explicitly identify the self-interest in

change!

-We get persons to opt into desired behavior in order to bring about
change in cognition!

-We establish team projects with internal diversity!

-We establish projects that necessitate the learning of a history or of
a cultural different from ones own!

-We establish projects that compare ones own experience with that
of another but does not rank order those experiences in terms of
victimization!

-We reward out-referencing!

-Build in benefits for interracial and interethnic group assignments
or teams

-We recognize that there can be unity coexistent with diversity! One
does not have to eradicate difference!

-It is okay to be different! Difference is okay; exploitation is not!

-Recognize the existence of distinct cultural traits associated with
distinct ethnic and nationality groupings, then get the student to
seek the genesis for said traits!

-What group project can you come up with?

-Are their national or ethnic cultures/traits and if so what are

they? How can they be addressed in the classroom?

-What were your initial thoughts when you heard the music that

started this program?