Future of Cultural Diversity

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Running head: Future of Culture Diversity

Future of Cultural Diversity

Dorothy J. Matthews

March 7, 2009 University of Phoenix

SOC/315 - Week 5

Professor: Aubrey Fitzgerald Bentham

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This paper is intended to voice my hopes on the future of cultural diversity and explain how we could use the knowledge of each other’s culture to build humanity and to bring about social reform for all people. It will also give examples of diversity challenges and opportunities. The world as we know it has 6.76 billion people, with Asia accounting for over 60% of the world’s population. These numbers certainly mean that the world that we live in has a diverse group of people and these people make up thousands of ethic groups, with each in the group different. Our differences require us to value different learning styles and to understand and identify each other’s work and social and lifestyles. Cultural differences in groups of people determine what language they speak, how they dress, their traditions, their concept of values and morals and how they interact with each other and the environment as well as how they are treated. Culture influences how people manage their daily lives. According to the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, UNESCO (2001), culture is defined as, “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group. It encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs.” Our culture influences our choices and lifestyles for many years and for some, for life because some people maintain their attachment to their beliefs and a particular way of living throughout their lives. I have discovered when a society is not allowed to socialize beyond their immediate contexts, they lack socially, politically and their choices in life do not include

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wide ranges of options. I believe that is it important to experience the cultures of others because those experiences tend to broaden an individual’s life, allows them to become more balanced, well rounded individuals and expands their range of choices in life. I remember particularly when I lived in the Adams Morgan neighborhood about five years ago was when I truly gained an appreciation for the culture the Asians and Latinos. I enjoyed their foods, styles of dress, form of entertainment and learned to understand their belief and their value systems. I also came to understand their blight with having to struggle with poverty and a language barrier and a lack of understanding of American culture. I remember particularly while serving as President of my condo association, one Latino family knocked on my door to report that their light bulb in the kitchen needed to be replaced. I had to gently tell them that now that they owned their unit, it was their responsibility to change their florescent light bulb in their kitchen and went on to tell them they could purchase one at the local home depot. Yet for other, they saw homeownership as a vehicle to gain financial and social acceptance in the states. During my research to write this paper, I have discovered that it is critically important to be culturally sensitive to other’s beliefs, especially in the work environment. Showing cultural sensitivity to others shows that we care about people and are concerned about human expansion. People have a human right to have their own cultural experiences and interests because that is what is essential to their human survival. Freedom of religion and/or religious expression is a fundamental human right under the

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U.S. Constitution. It is the right of an individual to worship publicly or privately in practice and observance of whatever religion they choose. By understanding why a person believes in a particular faith provides us with insight into that faith and helps us to understand whey people do certain religious rituals At Honda, one of the nation’s leading automakers, their top recruiters make it a point to hire a diverse staff. All of their employees are encouraged to learn Japanese so that they can communicate effectively with their suppliers and clients. Having a diverse workforce has its advantages, as it allows more creativity and sensitivity to solving problems more effectively. According to a business publication “Cultural Diversity and your future”, when companies hire people from different cultural groups in the community, their public image improves. When a company broadens their scope of hiring, it increases competition because an employer will get the best candidates from many different ethic groups. Employees benefit as well because they are now put in a position to communicate the benefits of a product to their clients of the same ethic background. My daughter who is an Attorney, was recently hired to work in a law firm in Greenbelt, Maryland, not only because of her competence, but because the firm did not have any African American Attorneys. Shortly after, the firm also hired an Asian female who would be able to serve their Asian clients. Since hiring the two mentioned above, business had increased for the firm. In conclusion, we live in a world of different cultures, race, ethnicity and religious beliefs. Embracing cultural awareness does not imply that we adopt a person’s moral Future of Cultural Diversity 5

beliefs, but rather allows us to find out what people believe in, why they believe and use that knowledge to find out what makes sense to the people we serve or encounter daily.
My belief is that we should not avoid cultural interaction but openly embrace it as it can reveal better ways of challenging harmful cultural practices and belief as well as strengthen positive ones and sharing those beneficial cultural practices throughout the world. Future of Cultural Diversity 6

References

Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, UNESCO (2001),

“Cultural Diversity and your future

References: Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, UNESCO (2001), “Cultural Diversity and your future