Multicultural Diversity Essays - Identity Politics,

Within this short essay I will address all of the following issues: Personal educational goals, how this course will benefit me professionally, skills and knowledge I wish to acquire from this course, how I will achieve the fundamental concepts and principles of Multicultural Diversity as well as the importance of theories, research methods and ethics. Education is very important in today?s society. Personally, I have decided to pursue my Masters in Nursing. I already have a Bachelors in Education and will be utilizing that after obtaining my ADN from Owens. Cultures are very distinct and are a very important part of our society. In the medical profession you come across a multitude of different cultures on a day to day basis. One of the theories that is impressed upon us is that we are to respect each culture and their belief systems. It has been proven that when a person of a different culture is ill, they often times recover faster when they are allowed to practice their individual belief system. A very interesting story based on this is practice is one of a gypsy girl. They are a culture of their own. When one of them is sick it?s the whole community that comes to offer comfort, not just the immediate family. This particular covent believe that when one of their own is sick they need to sacrifice a chicken and rub the blood on the person that is sick. This obviously is a problem given that it?s a hazard to the hospital to have livestock present so the compromise was made that the chicken be sacrificed outside the facility and the blo od brought in and the ritual completed. Unusual,yes, but a good compromise nonetheless. With a vast amount of cultures here in the US it would be beneficial to me to learn about several of them in this course. Obviously, the US is a melting pot for a multitude of cultures and we will not be able to touch on every one of them within this course. My hope is that even gathering some idea of the processes behind some cultures will expand my thinking and help me understand and be more open minded for the others. The books definition of melting pot, to me, sums this course up. In Chapter 1, I found it interesting that they stated with the amount of diversity in the nation, its not always evident how one person views themselves when it comes to their ethnic or racial background. Personaly, I find this to be true and fascinating. Just how does one determine who they are? Do they base this on what is more accepted in society? How they are raised? I am Irish and Scottish on my mothers side and German on my fathers side. Who am I? I know that on March 17th I am Irish. Does this make me disrespectful to myself in the grand scheme of things? In conclusion, I look forward to discovering all of the different types of cultures, races and ethnic groups that this class has to offer. Surely, this class will help me in having a basic understanding in just how we are all different and why that makes us all great. I believe that an open mind is a powerful thing.