Human Relations in a Diverse Society Lesson 1, Chapter 1 Prof. William Forbes Source: Harris, Levine, Shusta, and Wong (2005) unless noted

Independence, Missouri

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Your graded assignments: Introduce Yourself Seminar Discussion Read Chapters 1 and 4 (read before seminar)

Seminars ► ???? for questions ► Cut and paste okay  Be prepared to explain your answer if I ask ► Seminar schedule  10 minutes for Q&A  40 minutes of topics  10 minutes for more Q&A and wrap up  We use the entire hour!

Seminars ► Answer first, then read other’s answers ► Can’t make it? Alternate Assignment  300 – 500 word essay answering seminar topics  Submit through “Doc Sharing”  Your answer; not those given in the transcript  Grammar is graded in alternates (not in actual seminar)

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Writing Center

Discussion Requirements ► Respond to the question (answer it)  100 words required ► Respond to another student  100 words not required, but something more than “I agree” or “good job”

Discussions ► Perfect discussion answer:  100 words in length (short paragraph)  Grammatically correct  Relates to your readings

Discussions – Special Due Date ► Post early please!!!!  Posts are due by Tuesday at midnight closing the unit, but PLEASE post earlier  This allows your fellow students more time to read and respond to your posts  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ► But please wait for the unit to open (don’t post before the unit opens)

Late Penalties ► 5% Day 1

Student Lounge

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Seminar Questions ► I will now ask a question for the seminar ► Post YOUR response before trying to read the responses of OTHERS

Questions ► What does the term “multiculturalism” mean?

The 21 st Century The 21 st century will be the century in which we redefine ourselves as the first country in world history which is literally made up of every part of the world. --Mr. Kenneth Prewitt, Director of U.S. Census Bureau,

Multiculturalism ► A community (or organization) comprised of many different ethnic and racial groups  Not a movement  Not a political force  Not “anti-American” ► Because American society is truly multicultural, law enforcement (and management) plays a significant role in dealing with intolerance

What is Culture?  A way of life developed and communicated by a group of people  Consciously or unconsciously, to subsequent generations  It consists of ideas, habits, attitudes, customs, and traditions  That help people to create standards for a group of people to coexist, making a group of people unique  In its most basic sense, culture is a set of patterns for survival and success  That a particular group of people has developed

What is Culture? ► Beliefs, values, patterns of thinking, behavior, & everyday customs that have been passed on from generation to generation ► Learned, not inherited ► Developed by age 5 or 6 ► “Layers of culture”, exists in the subconscious mind

Why Learn about Cultures? ► A lack of knowledge can result in an inadvertent violation of one’s rights, or at the very least offensive behavior ► One should understand his or her biases and learn to acknowledge them

The Interface of Diversity and Law Enforcement ► Law enforcement is under a powerful microscope in terms of how citizens are treated ► Law enforcement increases its cultural competence with awareness, cultural knowledge and skills

Cultural Competence ► Developed by:  Developing principles, attitudes, policies, & structures that enable all to work effectively & equitably across cultures  Develop the capacity to: ► Acquire and apply cross-cultural knowledge ► Respond to and communicate effectively within the cultural contexts that the organization serves

Question ► In Chapter One, the text mentioned that America is more like a mosaic than a melting pot. Would you describe the area you live in as more of a melting pot, or a mosaic, and why?

“Melting Pot” Myth ► America has never been homogenous ► Historically, many races/creeds/cultures have been excluded ► A better description:  “Tapestry”  “Mosaic”

Diversity (continued): ► Diversity has come to include age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, job level, disability, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of similarities and differences among people ► Diversity: All the ways that we are the same or different

The Dimensions of Diversity

Diversity: Past & Present ► Criticisms of immigrants (past & present):  “They hold on to their cultures”  “They don’t learn our language”  “Their customs and behavior are strange”  “They form cliques” ► These same comments were likely at one time levied at the ethnic forefathers of those who spoke them ► Many who fled to America did so without much of a choice

Changing Populations

How to “Protect” Diversity ► The Advisory Board to the President’s Initiative on Race (1998):  Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement  Improve data collection on racial and ethnic discrimination  Strengthen laws and enforcement against hate crimes

What is Race? ► A group of persons of (or regarded as of) common ancestry ► Physical characteristics are often used to identify people of different races ► These characteristics should not be used to identify ethnic groups, which can cross racial lines

What is an Ethnic group? ► Group of people who conceive of themselves and who are regarded by others as alike because of their common ancestry, language, and physical characteristics

What is Ethnicity? ► Refers to the background of a group with unique language, ancestral, often religious, and physical characteristics ► Broadly characterizes a religious, racial, national, or cultural group

Race/Culture/Ethnicity Overlap ► Census estimates likely fall short of truly counting the varying ethnicities and cultures ► Race and ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily mutually exclusive  Example: Tiger Woods ► In 1860, 3 census categories offered for race; in 2000, 63 offered

Shifting Demographics ► By 2050:  The non-Hispanic white population will decline to 53% from 70% in 2000  25% will be of Hispanic origin  15% will be African-American  9% will be Asian and Pacific Islander  1% American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut

Immigration to America in the 20th Century

Foreign Born Populations

Undocumented Immigrants ► Two types:  Those who cross the U.S. border without proper documentation ► Not only from Latin America, but from Asia, Canada  Those who cross with proper documentation and stay longer than legally permitted ► U.S. Government has at times “legalized” certain immigrant populations ► Some have sought political asylum

Undocumented Immigrants ► Population: 7,000,000 (January 2000) ► Growth: 350,000 annually ► Highest states: California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida

Undocumented Immigrants ► Concerns:  Housing  Education  Safety  Employment  Spousal Violence  Health Care  Fear of deportation, lack of crime reporting  Vulnerable to predator crimes ► Does department have a policy regarding reporting to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE, formerly INS)?

Immigrants ► Officer’s interactions:  When officers are under pressure, negative biases are likely to surface  Recognition of these biases helps overcome them  The more direct contact officers have with ethnic and immigrant communities, the more knowledge they will gain about cultural differences and how they impact law enforcement

Ethnocentrism ► A barrier to accepting that there is another way, another belief, another communication style, another custom, or another value that can lead to culturally different behavior. Often causes a person to assign a potentially incorrect meaning or attribute or incorrect motivation to a given act. ► For legal acts, it is often to assign a “rightness or “wrongness” to a cultural activity

Question ► What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?

Prejudice ► Defined: Prejudice is a judgment or opinion formed before facts are known, usually involving negative or unfavorable thoughts about groups of people ► Discrimination is action based on prejudiced thought ► Whenever two groups are from entirely different ethnic or racial backgrounds, there is the possibility that prejudice exists (because of fear, lack of contact, ignorance, and stereotypes)

Prejudice ► Discrimination on the part of law enforcement, however, IS illegal and can lead to bad consequences  Citizen humiliation  Lawsuits  Loss of jobs  Damage to police-community relations  Personal tragedy

Prejudice ► The history of American law enforcement is one that needs to be overcome, as far as discrimination is concerned ► Officers must thus go out of their way to dispel this belief

Steps to Reduce Discrimination ► Eliminate any hint of prejudice in contacts ► Discourage any speech motivated by prejudice ► Encourage positive community-police relations

Community-Based Policing ► AKA Community Oriented Policing, Problem Oriented Policing ► Reaching out to community groups to improve relations with the police department and include citizens in problem solving; ► “We don’t know the community as well as the community does”  Must be ongoing  Must be conclusive

Language Barriers and Law Enforcement ► Changing demographics and multicultural communities ► Limited number of bilingual officers ► Serious and tragic consequences resulting from language and communication barriers ► Cross-cultural communication skills are needed by all officers

High- and Low-Context Communication Higher context communications tendencies: – Tendency to avoid saying “no” – Tendency to avoid conflict – Difficulty answering “yes” and “no” and either/or questions (tend to see in many shades of gray) questions (tend to see in many shades of gray) – Concerned about saving face in self and others – Focus on the “wide context” of interaction – Preference for getting to the point indirectly

High- and Low-Context Communication Lower context communications tendencies: – “Yes” equals “yes” and “no” equals “no” – Ease with direct communication and responding directly to conflict directly to conflict – Focus more on words and what is verbalized (do not tend to “read between the lines”) (do not tend to “read between the lines”) – Preference for getting right to the point

Language Errors ► Using Language or Style to Become Just Like One of “Them” ► Conveys discomfort and possible insincerity or phoniness ► Walking on Eggshells ► Overcompensating not to offend ► Being too sensitive ► Need to be sincere and authentic ► Some of My Best Friends Are… ► Comes across as extremely naïve ► Perceived as being prejudiced ► People from multicultural communities are not impressed

Language Errors ► “You People”, or the “We-They” ► “You People” displays possible prejudice ► Statements reflect exaggerated generalizations or stereotypes ► “You Stopped Me Because I’m Black, Mexican….” ► Verbal Judo suggested responses are: ► -“I appreciate that, but (calmly state the violation)” ► Known as “verbal deflectors” (Dr. George Thompson conceived of the concept)

Unit #2 ► Read Chapters 2 and 3 ► Seminar ► Discussion Board ► Written Project

Questions? ► ► ForbesTeaching on AIM ► Virtual Office