Multicultural Education

With the global community being made smaller through technological advances and the threat of terrorism at the forefront of political debate, a deeper understanding of other cultures can alleviate misunderstandings, xenophobic tendencies and foster a greater appreciation for the world’s rich and diverse cultural tapestry. This cultural tolerance through understanding can be implemented at a young age by making use of multicultural education techniques.

Many approaches can be taken towards a multicultural education, each with its own benefits and shortcomings. For instance, learning a second language will inherently teach a student about different aspects of culture such as social interactions, institutions and even  a regions’ food through language, but may not expose them to the broader picture of religion, customs and everyday life.   Conversely, a study of a culture’s religious tendencies may not impart the culture’s many subtleties such as accepted social behavior or the social standing of certain groups, such as women. Therefore, a multicultural education should be a well rounded, multi faceted approach towards a culture which may not otherwise be experienced or appreciated.

Multicultural education programs in the United States should make a conscious effort to not be entirely euro centric or based on western cultures alone. This is especially important in today’s global climate marked by a fear of terrorism, misunderstanding of Islam and the volatile nature of the Middle East.  A deeper understanding of the many groups, geographical areas, philosophies and ways of life within this region can facilitate a better global approach to politics as well as alleviating much of the fear which is bred through ignorance.

Additionally, Southeast Asia is a region rich in cultural beauty largely ignored in Western multicultural education course. Countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka are largely overlooked in Asian studies and offer a tapestry of unique culture shaped by region, geography and people.  Taking a multicultural education approach to studying these regions can open broad areas of interest in philosophies, food and religions which a student may not have previously known existed.