Ethnic Studies Essay

Upon entering the class I was anxious, curious, and also oblivious to the ideas I would be encountering. Like other students who had not previously spent time discussing topics of race and ethnicity, I myself had nervous tendencies in assuming that such a class may not strengthen my understanding of ethnic and race relations. I realized I knew little about race or ethnicity, and even the possible similarities or differences. However, I welcomed the opportunity to further discover the possibilities of the class. My understanding of race was concentrated in a definition that could be understood as different skin colors. My limited conception of ethnicity applied to people’s origin or where they lived. It seemed as though my lack of

Anthropologists have always had their discrepancies with the word culture and its background significance. There have been numerous definitions that have filtered through the field, yet not one that everyone can accept or agree with. Franz Boas, an anthropologist in the early 20th Century, and his students, had a difficult time figuring out the objective of what culture is. Culture is about learning and shared ideas about behaviour. Although Boas and his students had a slightly different idea in mind. They ultimately reached a conclusion, a definition of culture in their view that is a contradiction in terms. Boas sates that, “ culture was expressed through the medium of language but was not reducible to it;

After watching the video Precious Knowledge, the first example of ethnic studies being threatened/ facing elimination is that senate is passing bills like 2881 that act against diversity and programs that support and culture beyond what is sought to be “fit” in the American educational system. Programs that promote ethnic studies gives students the pride and knowledge of where they have come from and therefore they feel more engaged in the classroom. Leaders like Tom Horne have the right to their own opinion but are being oppressive by not embracing the culture of different ethnic groups. By not attending these classes and trying to relate to these diverse communities; he is creating a dystopia to the American youth. Political leaders should

This comparison lends a sense of deep and sincere respect and awe for the teacher’s ability to educate their students to their fullest potential. The infallibility of these teachers becomes quickly contrasted against the malevolent legislators who have been targeted throughout the review. Tom Horne, in particular, is attacked for his overbearing and unnecessarily personal barrage against the Ethnic Studies program. His extreme disrespect and willingness to either stretch the facts, or completely invent them, make him a formidable enemy in a war where perception and public rapport are paramount. Horne has “openly lied in the past about his history of bankruptcy and has the unique distinction of being banned forever from the Securities and Exchanges Commission” ultimately showing just how insincere and conniving he truly is (Biggers 2). The legislator's inclination toward personal attacks and deception makes them even more able to dismantle the Ethnic Studies program Acosta had worked so hard to put in place. In a battle where the enemy supremely overpowers the students, changes need to be made.

Multiculturalists brand our culture as white, Western, male, Christian, middle-class and heterosexual. They declare that our schools have forced on students a curriculum that promotes only that perspective. The books they read, the ideas they consider, the moral and ethical standards they are taught, explicitly or implicitly, tend to be those of dead white European males. The problem, they argue, is that this leaves out the contributions of many people. People of color, women, homosexuals, and various religious traditions are ignored and thus silenced. As a result, they contend, what passes for knowledge on campus is biased. Their goal is to correct this bias.

The Asian American Community’s Impact on Ethnic Studies Programs: A Look at AAPI’s Relationship with Schools as Social

In simple terms, the Diaspora as a concept, describes groups of people who currently live or reside outside the original homelands. We will approach the Diaspora from the lenses of migration; that the migration of people through out of the African continent has different points of origin, different patterns and results in different identity formations. Yet, all of these patterns of dispersion and germination/ assimilation represent formations of the Diaspora. My paper will focus on the complexities of the question of whether or not Africans in the Diaspora should return to Africa. This will be focused through the lenses of the different phases in the Diaspora.

The school atmosphere was different I was hanging with Caucasian girls and the African American children did not understand what I was doing being so close to children opposite of my own culture. At that point, I was unsure of what their problem was but realized they were sheltered from other cultures and raised differently. This caused several fights as a child because other children would call me a “little white girl” and I had no idea of what that meant and was offended. I was raised around majority boys in the neighborhood, until I started playing softball, some would consider me as a tomboy. So

Fostering cultural awareness in children has many benefits that contribute to the overall development of children. Educators encounter challenges that may include academic pressure, collaborating with diverse families, and meeting the needs of the students. This paper examines theoretical perspectives using a longitudinal study. The study examined the experiences of children ages 3.5 to 5.5, by using their everyday experiences of race and ethnic diversity in their classroom setting.

However, there are questions as to whether or not teachers possess biases that would influence their teaching methods and curriculum. Taking a class in educational diversity is only a start in addressing those biases that may have been unconsciously created. It is the writer’s sincere hope that researching and writing a paper on multicultural education will be a stepping stone toward the critical examination of biases and practices in regards to diversity in the classroom that will continue to influence the readers throughout their educational

Ethnicity is defined as the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition. While this definition suggests a black and white concept, ethnicity is often complex and misunderstood due to the breadth of the topic. Frequently in society, young people inherit their ethnic identity at birth based on the culture they are born into. However, during puberty they often begin to doubt/explore their identity and strive to discover what ethnic group they belong in and not just the one they were assigned. This complex process has spurred psychologists to delve into the phenomenon of how differing cultures undergo this process of “finding themselves”. This research has culminated into a theory based on stages of ethnic development by Phinney & Ong. This paper will investigate further into this topic, in concern to Scarlett O’Hara, a fictional character portrayed in the film classic “Gone with the Wind”.

With the shifting cultural texture and demographics of the United States (Banks, 2006b; Irvine, 2003), redefining multicultural education has become imperative. There are many views on the benefits and/or shortcomings of the multiculturalization of education. The question is not whether a multicultural education should be adopted but it is rather what we understand from multicultural education and how we are going to initiate such a reform within an educational system when we cannot even define ‘multicultural.’ “The awareness of one’s own assumptions, prejudices and stereotypes is a first step to be able to positively interact and learn from others. In this process

The supporting side also believes that multiculturalism in education is an essential part of college. Studies have found that appreciation for diversity is lacking on college campuses. Evidence shows that among the growing tensions on college campuses, “multiculturalism

Through multicultural education we are awarded with a unique opportunity to effectively alter the opinions of individuals. The effects of these courses have been demonstrated in multiple studies and while the subjects of this research is often college students, these effects are easily generalizable to the rest of the population. Although this generalizability is there, it can be understood why it be the most effective to begin with college age students. This is often lauded as a critical point in development for most young adults. It is a time where students are at a higher level of learning, while critical thinking and personal challenge is at a poignant high. This period in life and development is difficult to duplicate and for this reason this is the perfect place to implement this form of education and begin changing the underlying racist and sexist thought processes that support biased systems. By taking advantage of this, we will equalize the understanding of future generations and create a system where multicultural education is no longer necessary as they will teach the generations to come after them.

Multicultural Education in the United States made its debut beginning with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s. Its intent was to become part of the cultural mainstream. The Civil Rights Movement brought to light the apparent concerns of discrimination, intimidation and inequality. During this period, pressure was placed on the Federal Government to examine their roles in the perseverance of inequalities when it came to Multicultural Education (Russell, Robert, The History of Multicultural Education, 2011). It can be compared to “Affirmative Action” where whites were asked to leave behind their own point of view and gain knowledge of the traditions of Multicultural groups (Taylor, Samuel. The Challenge of 'Multiculturalism'