CULTURAL PLURALISM

Clarence Jenkins, Cody Lanser, Danielle Johnson, Fatun

Mohamed, Amy Lofgren, Chris Prissel
WHAT IS CULTURAL PLURALISM?

 The equal coexistence of diverse cultures in a mutually

supportive relationship within the boundaries of one
nation.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
 Accepting others value and beliefs

 Equality for all individuals

 Creates diversity in a society

 No single pattern is good for everyone

WHY ARE PLURALISTIC
SOCIETIES PREFERENTIAL?
 1. The failure of Anglo Conformity

 2.The impact on self-consciousness and self-

determination

 3. The necessity of human independence

 4. The recognition of diversity as an ideal

 5. The current existence of diversity

FAILURE OF ANGLO CONFORMITY
 Demand for Conformity

 Unrealistic and illogical

 Unjustbecause people who are not

white or protestant cannot
completely conform

 Peoplewho are unable to conform

are subject to oppression

 Rightsare inequitably distributed

based off of these factors: Race,
gender, social class, sexual
orientation and disability.
THE IMPACT ON SELF-
CONSCIOUSNESS AND SELF-
DETERMINATION
 Being Perceived as
different

 Confidence

 Ability to set and achieve

goals

 People function in a context

where their abilities are
clearly respected
THE NECESSITY FOR HUMAN
INDEPENDENCE
 Reliance

 Mutual Interdependence

 Peoplerely on each other to provide the goods

and services needed in their daily lives

 Asa society becomes more complex people

inevitably become more dependant on each other
THE RECOGNITION OF DIVERSITY
AS AN IDEAL
 Diversity constitutes the
best possible situation

 Diversity is regarded as
positive when people
engage in solving problems

 The more diversity there is

in nature, the more likely it
is that human life will
adapt as new conditions
arise
THE CURRENT EXISTENCE OF
DIVERSITY
 If some quality is
characteristic of a society
it makes sense that we
value it, rather than deny
it or try to pretend it
doesn’t exist.

 Pluralism challenges us to
think about how our
society is changing and
what sort of society it
could become.
ATTITUDES ON DIVERSITY
 People should have the right to preserve their
cultural heritage and not be forced to abandon it to
conform to a “dominant” culture.

 Diversityis NOT a difficulty to overcome, but a

positive attribute to society.

 Tolerance is inadequate because it does not create

a climate of understanding.
VALUE OF INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES

The United States has always consisted of

people from different races, cultures and
religions. If we value our own uniqueness, it
is logical and consistent to value what is
unique in others. Sooner or later, all
Americans should embrace pluralism because
no other perspective regards differences as an
asset for a society.
“DIVERSITY IS THE ONE TRUE THING WE ALL
HAVE IN COMMON. CELEBRATE IT EVERY DAY”