Diversity Consciousness: Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities » (3rd Edition)

Dr. Richard Bucher is a Professor of Sociology at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC). He has been nationally recognized for his teaching excellence and teaches a variety of courses, including Introductory Sociology, Cultural Diversity in the Workplace, and Race and Ethnic Relations. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education recently honored him for teaching excellence. He served as the first Director of BCCC's Institute for Intercultural Understanding (IIU). Under his leadership, the IIU gained national recognition as an innovative diversity education program. Dr. Bucher received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Howard University, with a concentration in race and ethnic relations. He is also the author of Building Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Nine Megaskills (Prentice Hall, 2008). We encourage you to visit his website at http://www.diversityconsciousness.com and this Blog on the subject of diversity consciousness/cultural intelligence at www.diversityconsciousness.com/blog The author driven Blog is for faculty and educators who want to learn more about diversity and how it impacts their institutions, their communities, and their teaching.

This empowering study on human diversity helps readers develop the ability to understand, respect, and value diversity–and demonstrates how opening one's mind to the views of other peoples and cultures is central for a quality education and successful career. Personalizing the learning experience by integrating a variety of real-life student experiences and perspectives, it discusses topics in a style that promotes self-reflection and dialogue that is inclusive and not condescending. Complete with self-reflective journal questions, case studies, and interactive exercises, it discusses diversity and workplace issues–such as teamwork, conflict management, leadership, racism, prejudice, and communication; and zeroes in on the relationship between an employee's success and his/her ability to develop flexible thinking to positively and effectively deal with a variety of diversity issues.

Chapter 1

Diversity: An Overview 1

Learning Objectives 1

Our Changing Cultural Landscape 2

Demographic Changes in the United States 3

Technological and Social Changes 10

A Range of Reactions 16

Cultural Cruise Control 17

Beginning Adjustments 18

Fine Tuning 20

Views of Diversity: Assimilation and Pluralism 21

Dimensions of Diversity 25

Diversity Between and Within Groups 29

Diversity Myths 30

What Is Diversity Consciousness? 32

Diversity Education 33

Case Studies 35

Exercises 38

Internet Assignment 39

Notes 39

Chapter 2

Diversity Consciousness and Success 42

Learning Objective 42

Definitions of Success 43

Sociocultural Theory and Success 45

Why Diversity Skills Are Important 46

Success at School 47

Success at Work 54

Individual/Organizational Benefits 59

The Individual 59

The Organization 61

Diversity Training in the Workplace 63

The Costs of Inadequate Diversity Consciousness 68

Case Studies 71

Exercises 73

Internet Assignment 74

Notes 75

Chapter 3

Personal and Social Barriers to Success 77

Learning Objectives 77

Six Barriers to Success 79

Barrier 1 Limited Perceptions 79

Barrier 2 Ethnocentrism 82

Barrier 3 Stereotypes 86

Barrier 4 Prejudice 91

Barrier 5 Prejudice Plus Power 96

Barrier 6 Discrimination 100

Overcoming Diversity Barriers 105

Case Studies 112

Exercises 114

Internet Assignment 116

Notes 116

Chapter 4

Developing Diversity Consciousness 119

Learning Objectives 119

The Importance of Diversity Consciousness 119

Cultural Encapsulation 121

Six Areas of Development 124

Examining Ourselves and Our Worlds 124

Expanding Our Knowledge of Others and Their Worlds128

Stepping Outside of Ourselves 132

Gauging the Level of the Playing Field 134

Checking Up on Ourselves 140

Following Through 141

Strategies for Developing Diversity Consciousness 142

Diversity Education-A Range of Opportunities 144

A Lifelong, Continuing Process 147

Case Studies 148

Exercises 149

Internet Assignment 151

Notes 151

Chapter 5

Communicating in a Diverse World 153

Learning Objectives 153

Communication and Culture 154

Electronic Communication 158

Diversity Consciousness and Communication 161

Areas of Development: Diversity Consciousness and Communication 162

Communication Matters 170

Barriers to Effective Communication 172

Hot Buttons 174

Difficult Dialogues 177

Communicating Inclusively 179

Case Studies 182

Exercises 184

Internet Assignment 186

Notes 186

Chapter 6

Teamwork 188

Learning Objectives 188

Teams Today 188

Teamwork at School 190

Teamwork in the Workplace 192

Virtual Teaming 194

Developing Teamwork Skills 195

Diversity Consciousness and Teaming 197

High-Performance Teams 200

Ten Proven Strategies for Building High-Performance Teams 201

Obstacles to Teamwork 203

Conflict 205

Conflict Management 206

Case Studies 213

Exercises 215

internet Assignment 217

Notes 217

Chapter 7

Leadership 219

Learning Objectives 219

What is Leadership? 220

Diversity-Conscious Leadership 223

Who Can Be a Diversity-Conscious Leader? 224

Key Skills of a Diversity-Conscious Leader 225

Adapting 225

Thinking and Communicating Inclusively 227

Assessing and Monitoring 227

Four Building Blocks of Diversity-Conscious Leadership: An Assessment 228

Leadership Theories 231

Leadership in a Cultural Context 232

Individualism Versus Collectivism 233

Large or Small Power Distance 233

Strong or Weak Uncertainty Avoidance 235

Masculinity Versus Femininity 235

The Diversity-Conscious Leader of the Future 238

Leadership Development 239

Future Challenges 240

Case Studies 241

Exercises 243

Internet Assignment 244

Notes 244

Chapter 8

Conclusion 245

Learning Objectives 245

Opening Our Minds to Opportunities 246

Future Challenges 250

Technological Change and Globalization 251

Changing Demographics in the United States 254

Continuing Potential for Divisiveness and Hope 256

Case Studies 258

Exercises 260

Internet Assignment 261

Notes 261

Bibliography 263

Index 273