Multiculturalism and Universities

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that as the immigrant population in the U.S. continues not only to rise but to diversify, the educational system, and indeed, the nation has in many contexts attempted to enforce a degree of cultural uniformity inclined to either assimilate or exclude incoming cultures. The writer first considers the need for a greater accommodation of multicultural social and community interests in the universities. Subsequently, the writer draws a connection between considerations of multicultural education as they are related to the institution of multicultural extra-curricular interests. The writer then draws on these considerations in a discussion on technology orientation, social networking and includes some recommendations relating to these avenues for multicultural socialization.

From the Paper:

"Categories of diversity to be considered are ethnicity, socioeconomic background and geographical origin, all of which today are presences establishing a multicultural makeup subsisting under far too uniform a curricular outlook. This introduces a theme which will emerge as recurrent in other contexts of the present discussion, that a foundational need elicited by the diversity of our overall student body calls for a similar diversity in our overall preparatory and continuing education of faculty. With regard to Boyer's approach to the subject, we can see that there is a demand for a greater cultural openness in our schools, where an impression of cultural openness as reflected in the makeup of the staff invokes a greater sense of culturally expressive freedom amongst students. At present, the overwhelming reflection of Caucasian ethnicity at faculty and administrative levels of our universities does not go unnoticed by students, as this condition serves to highlight the isolation and resultant reluctance toward expressive freedom experienced by those of ethnic difference. And quite certainly, the presence of a more diverse faculty body should help to facilitate a ready relationship between student groups and faculty advisors of common multicultural interests. This is yet another way in which the university needs to directly provoke a meaningful relationship between curricular and extra-curricular aspects of campus life."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Allan, Margaret; June Bode; Robyn Henderson; Elizabeth Hirst & Mehtap Kocatepe. (2004). Repositioning Academic Literacy Charting the Emergence of a Community of Practice. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy., Vol. 27.
• Boyer, Dr. Ernest. (1990). Campus Life: In Search of Community. Jossey-Bass.
• Garton, James. (1997). New Genres and New Literacies: The Challenge of the Virtual Curriculum. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 20.
• Macken-Horarik, Mary. (2006). Hierarchies in Diversity: What Students' Examined Responses Tell Us about Literacy Practices in Contemporary School English. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy., Vol. 29.

More papers on Multiculturalism and Universities:

• Analytical Essay # 150365 : "Cultural Diversity and Multicultural Psychology"
• Essay # 84743 : "Ethnocentrism vs. Multiculturalism"
• Article Review # 149673 : "Becoming the Perfect University Student"

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