Embracing Diversity in a Connected World

1. Chapter 12Diversity and Your Relationships with Others

2. Living in a World of Diversity 12-2 • Our world is increasingly interconnected and interdependent • By the mid-21st Century, more people in the United States will be of African, Asian, Latin American and Arabic descent than those of Western European descent • Diversity encompasses racial, gender, sexual orientation, age, mental and physical characteristics • Additional diversity traits include religion, education, income level and individual differences

3. Living in a World of Diversity 12-3

4. Race, Ethnicity, and Culture 12-4 • Race • Traditionally, biologically determined physical characteristics that set one group apart from another • Ethnicity • Shared natural origins or cultural patterns • Culture • The learned behaviors, beliefs and attitudes that are characteristic of an individual society or population, and including the products that they create

5. Building Cultural Competence 12-5 • Cultural competence is learned • It is a knowledge of other people’s backgrounds, customs, perspectives and history • Provides a basis for civic engagement • Permits us to act with civility toward others • It allows us to make the most of our contribution to society

6. Diversity – Prepare 12-6 • Accepting diversity as a valued part of your life • We form relationships more easily with people who are similar to us • However, we can grow and be challenged when we seek out people that are different from us • We can learn what motivates other people and become aware of new ways to think about family, relationships, earning a living and the value of education • Learning to accept others who are different from you is an important job skill

7. Diversity – Organize 12-7 • Exploring your own prejudices and stereotypes • Prejudice – the evaluations or judgments of members of a group based on their being members of that group • Discrimination – the behavior toward members of group based on their being members of that group • Stereotypes – beliefs and expectations about members of a group that are held because they are members of that group

8. Diversity – Work 12-8 • Developing cultural competence • Study other cultures and customs • Travel • Participate in service-learning • Don’t ignore people’s backgrounds • Don’t make assumptions about who people are • Accept differences

9. Diversity – Evaluate 12-9 • Ask yourself the following questions: • How do I make judgments about people? • Who are my friends? • Do I openly express positive values about diversity? • Am I learning about other cultures? • Am I evenhanded in my relationships? • Do I recognize that all people have the same basic needs? • Do I look down upon other racial or ethnic groups because I take pride in my own? • Do I look at things with different perspectives?

10. Diversity – Rethink 12-10 • Understand how your own racial, ethnic and cultural background affects others • Regardless of background, other students at your school share similar concerns about success, and life goals • Bridging differences can create lasting social ties

11. Building Lasting Relationships 12-11 • Making friends • Invest time in others • Reveal yourself • Let others know you like them • Accept others as they are, not as you would like them to be • Show concern and caring • Be open to friendships with people who are very different from you • Not everyone makes a good friend

12. Building Lasting Relationships 12-12 • The R-Word: Relationships • Trust • Honesty • Mutual support • Loyalty • Acceptance • Willingness to embrace change

13. Communicating in Relationships 12-13 • Communicating well is a blend of talking and listening • Sometimes silence is the best support you can give • Improve your listening skills • Stop talking! • Demonstrate that you are listening • Use reflective feedback • Ask questions • Admit when you are distracted

14. Loneliness 12-14 • One can be happy alone or lonely in a crowd. Loneliness is subjective. • Strategies for overcoming loneliness include: • Become involved in campus activities • Find a study partner • Know that you’re not alone in your loneliness • Take advantage of orientation and first-year student activities • Take a job on campus • Remember that loneliness is typically temporary

15. Avoiding and Handling Conflicts 12-15 • Remember to make “I” statements • Remember that conflict is not necessarily bad • Conflict resolution tips: • Stop, look, and listen • Defuse the argument • Get personal • Listen to the real message • Show that you’re listening • If you are angry, acknowledge it • Ask for clarification • Be specific • Don’t think it’s a zero-sum game • End the relationship if emotional or physical abuse occurs

16. When Relationships Are Over 12-16 • Time can work to heal the heartache of a lost relationship • Other strategies: • Stay busy • Accept your feelings • Talk with a friend or relative • Write about the relationship • Talk to a professional