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"Understanding Human Differences: Multicultural Education for a Diverse America," is an incredibly useful tool for helping students develop conceptual understanding about complex and emotionally-charged issues of diversity in today's world. The authors use clear examples, lucid language, and engaging activities to involve students in thinking through fundamental ideas that ground their understanding of diversity. This is an innovative approach to teaching diversity that challenges students' misconceptions, perceptions, and assumptions with interactive exercises and discussion exercises. In reading and engaging in controversial issues, students are challenged to think about implications from research and to draw conclusions on their own, rather than feeling like they are being subjected to opinions to which they must agree because of " political correctness." The content is grounded in interdisciplinary studies from behavioral and social sciences including psychology, sociology, education, biology, history, and anthropology. Each chapter is presented in an inquiry format, consisting of questions within the narrative followed by discussion activities and exercises that relate to the topics and issues raised. There are a variety of activities so instructors can select which ones they think will be most effective with their students. " Written with wisdom, clarity, compassion, and a deep moral commitment to building multicultural democracy. This tremendously engaging and thoughtful book will provoke thinking and needed dialogue." "
Christine Sleeter, California State University Monterey Bay " Koppelman and Goodhart probe the many facets ofdiversity and examine how society makes the lives of many difficult through racism, classim, sexism, ableism, and homophobia... An extraordinarily useful book for all concerned with building a truly democratic multiracial America." "
Joe R. Feagin, Graduate Research Professor, University of Florida and author of "The Many Costs of Racism" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003).
List of contents
- Understanding Ourselves and Others: Clarifying Values and Language
- Understanding Prejudice and Its Causes
- Communication, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution
- Immigration and Oppression: The Assault on Cultural and Language Diversity
- Race and Oppression: The Experiences of People of Color
- Religion and Oppression: The Struggle for Religious Freedom
- Rejecting Oppressive Relationships: The Logic of Cultural Pluralism for a Diverse Society
- Racism: Confronting a Legacy of White Domination in America
- Classism: Misperceptions and Myths About Income, Wealth, and Poverty
- Sexism: Where the Personal Becomes Political
- Heterosexism: Challenging the Heterosexism Assumption
- Ableism: Disability Does Not Mean Inability
- Pluralism in Schools: The Promise of Multicultural Education
- Pluralism in Society: Creating Unity in a Diverse America
About the author
About our author
Kent L. Koppelman is the author and editor of several books in the field of multicultural issues and diversity, among them Values in the Key of Life (Baywood Publishing, 2000), a book of essays on diversity and moral issues, Understanding Human Differences (Pearson, 2020) and The Great Diversity Debate (Teachers College Press, 2012). Dr. Koppelman is professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Summary
Understanding Human Differences takes a clear, engaging look at issues in American society in the 21st century, focusing on the interactions and intersections between the individual and institutions. Grounded in research, the text uses a question-and-answer format to bring the topics and issues to life.
