Understanding Human Differences: Multicultural Education for a Diverse America (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

~ Kent Koppelman (Author), Lee Goodhart (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Students develop conceptual understanding about complex and emotionally-charged issues of diversity in today's world. The author uses clear examples, lucid language, and engaging activities to involve students in thinking through fundamental ideas that ground their understanding of diversity. The author investigates three converging elements in his examination of human differences: individual attitudes and behaviors, cultural expectations, and institutional policies and practices. This examination provides the basis for the conceptual organization of the text.

Race, class, gender, and diversity.

Multicultural Education/Diversity as well as General Education courses.

From the Back Cover

Grounded in interdisciplinary research from the social sciences including education, sociology, biology, history, etc., this text successfully teaches both education and non-education majors about diversity in America. Understanding Human Differences introduces students to the study of diversity in Twenty-First Century America and provides a clear conceptual framework for teaching about diversity.

 

Through an inquiry format, the author encourages students to discuss and debate topics, thereby promoting a deeper understanding of the issues addressed within each chapter.  The author looks at all of the "isms" of U.S. society (sexism, classism, racism, etc.) through three overlapping lenses: the individual, institutions, and culture.  Its strong historical perspective and balance of theory and application not only prepares pre-service teachers to be more accepting and successful working with diverse students in their classrooms, but also prepares students in other fields to be more sensitive to the issues affecting the diverse individuals they will meet and work with throughout their lives.

 

New to This Edition

·        NEW! Discussion of culturally relevant teaching in U.S. classrooms helps teacher education students understand this innovative educational approach (ch. 13).

·        NEW! Discussion of how negative attitudes based on one's age affects youth as well as the elderly, to enhance understanding of such issues as elder abuse and teenage unemployment (Ch. 11).

·        NEW! Expanded discussion of Muslim stereotypes and how the media reinforces such stereotypes, to clarify the nature of these stereotypes and how they are presented in popular culture (Chs. 2 and 6)

·        NEW! Updated content on anti-immigrant attitudes in the United States, especially toward undocumented workers, including examining research that contradicts common but misinformed perceptions of recent immigration (Ch. 4).

·        NEW! Extensive updates on the growth and the benefits of linguistic diversity in the U.S. (Ch. 4)

·        NEW! Revised section on institutional racism in politics to reflect the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, with discussion of the changes that have occurred in areas such as fundraising and the problems that yet remain (Ch. 8).

·        NEW! References to brand new assignments and activities on new MyEducationLab for Multicultural Education website.

 

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 2 edition (March 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205531040
• ISBN-13: 978-0205531042
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #133,760 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't give it a ZERO Which it Deserves, March 24, 2008

By	G. Soots "Gary" (Brownsburg, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is HORRIBLE. If I wern't forced to use it in class I wouldn't even touch it. It is terribly slanted in a manner that a previous reviewer got right on. The whole book seems to be based on an incorrect perception that the European White Male is the reason for all of our social ills, not just racism.

An example is how Koppelman drolls on that the White European caused all the hatred in the Mexican population by stealing the Mexican land. He fails to cover the part a large majority of Mexicans are a mix of Native Americans and Spanish Conquistidor's. The Conquistidors plundered the land and slaughtered millions of Native Americans. So he overlooks the ills of the one race to set the Mexican up as a pure victim in this matter. His views are totally flawed throughout this book. And I am not letting Goodhart off the hook either.

Bottom line is: Unless you are absolutely required to use this book; DO NOT buy it. For a great perspective on diversity, see if you can find the aged, but fair and balanced "What you are is where you were when" by Morris Massey.

Understanding Human Differences is not the answer to promoting diversity, it promotes hate.

I am half hispanic and half white. So I have a Minority perspective as well as a white male perspective. Don't buy the hate!

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Laughable, March 12, 2008

By	Kurtis Blackburn - See all my reviews

My teacher actually uses this textbook's own inaccuracies and discriminations as examples of how NOT to address multiculturalism, it's that bad.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars AWFUL!!!, May 4, 2007

By	Tim and Sally (Orange Park, FL USA) - See all my reviews

We used this textbook in a college course entitled, "Teaching a Diverse Population."
To a person, we all thought this book was awful.
My biggest problem with this piece of work is that the author expects the reader to agree to a line of logic that is not supported by facts. Sure, there are facts interwoven in each chapter, but the facts don't match the logic.
If I turned in any of these chapters as an argumentative essay to my English Composition professor, I'd surely receive less than an "A."
Additionally, I could have done without the four letter words such as cun* (you fill in the last letter).