Cultural Diversity
Course Description
This course focuses on the issues, challenges, and opportunities presented by U.S. population diversity. Workplace issues related to employee diversity in terms of gender, race or ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and cultural background are emphasized.
Topics and Objectives
Culture and Multiculturalism
- Examine the concept of culture and how it is used to construct group identity.
- Define descriptive categories that contribute to diversity, including age, ethnic or racial status, socioeconomic class, gender, physical abilities, sexual orientation, national origin, and religion.
- Compare theories of multiculturalism with the process of cultural assimilation.
- Recognize the value of diversity.
Diversity in America
- Examine the diversity issues related to race and ethnicity in America.
- Examine the diversity issues related to gender and sexual orientation in America.
- Evaluate how diversity is represented in the media.
Communication in a Multicultural Environment
- Examine the manner in which language reflects diversity.
- Profile "best practices" in regard to communicating in a multicultural environment.
Employment Practices and Legal Issues in Diversity
- Examine organizational issues of diversity, including structure, communication channels, and principles for valuing a diverse workforce.
- Analyze challenges and opportunities presented by employee diversity in the workplace.
- Examine Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) laws, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and legislation relevant to harassment in the workplace.
Global Demographics and the Future of Diversity
- Summarize current trends related to how different cultures are meeting the challenges and opportunities posed by diversity and change, with emphasis on increasing cultural sensitivity and knowledge.
- Examine future trends in population growth and diversity and how these trends relate to global competitiveness, specifically among Europe, Asia, and the United States.