Institutional Inclusiveness:Institutional Inclusiveness:~~Putting Multiculturalism To Putting Multiculturalism To

Work~Work~

Maria Bobila Kerri MaitlandNicole Green

Sherrie JardineKisha Brown

Multiculturalism At WorkMulticulturalism At Work The concept of putting multiculturalism to work is concerned with The concept of putting multiculturalism to work is concerned with

promoting diversity at institutional levels.promoting diversity at institutional levels. This can be otherwise referred to as institutional inclusivenessThis can be otherwise referred to as institutional inclusiveness Institutional inclusiveness is defined by Fleras as institutional Institutional inclusiveness is defined by Fleras as institutional

accomodation.accomodation. It involves a process by which institutions incorporate diversity by It involves a process by which institutions incorporate diversity by

adjusting institutional design, operation and outcomes to make them more adjusting institutional design, operation and outcomes to make them more “minority friendly”“minority friendly”

An embracive institutional environment is nurtured where both workers An embracive institutional environment is nurtured where both workers and clients feel culturally safe than excluded or at risk.and clients feel culturally safe than excluded or at risk.

Four models of InclusivenessFour models of Inclusiveness

Reform model:Reform model: this model attempts to remove discriminatory barriers. this model attempts to remove discriminatory barriers. Everyone has equal rights.Everyone has equal rights. Individuals are not discriminated against or given special priviledges because Individuals are not discriminated against or given special priviledges because

of their differences.of their differences. Transformative model: Transformative model: The incorporation of diversity in institutional rules, The incorporation of diversity in institutional rules,

agenda and priorities.agenda and priorities. Incorporates diversity by including more minorities at all levels in institutions.Incorporates diversity by including more minorities at all levels in institutions. Goal is to “ethnicize” the system by redesigning the institution.Goal is to “ethnicize” the system by redesigning the institution. Parallel institutions:Parallel institutions: minorities working apart and creating their own minorities working apart and creating their own

institutions but modeling them after mainstream institutions.institutions but modeling them after mainstream institutions. Separate systems: Separate systems: separate institutions that are designed by minorities for separate institutions that are designed by minorities for

minority people.minority people. ““Inclusiveness as separation is based on the principle that certain minorities Inclusiveness as separation is based on the principle that certain minorities

have the right to construct self- determining structures that reflect their have the right to construct self- determining structures that reflect their realities and priorities rather than those of mainstream”realities and priorities rather than those of mainstream”

Five components of an Five components of an Inclusive InstitutionInclusive Institution Workforce representation: Workforce representation: workforce should be representativeworkforce should be representative Employment Equity program is concerned with hiring of minorities in Employment Equity program is concerned with hiring of minorities in

federally regulated workplaces in numbers consistent with Canada’s federally regulated workplaces in numbers consistent with Canada’s labour diversity pattern.labour diversity pattern.

Organizational rules and operation: Organizational rules and operation: rules of an organization cannot rules of an organization cannot discriminate against minorities, hindering them from training, promotions, discriminate against minorities, hindering them from training, promotions, and the recruitment and selection process.and the recruitment and selection process.

Workplace climate: Workplace climate: the working climate must promote well being and the working climate must promote well being and success.success.

Diversity is promotedDiversity is promoted Harassment is not toleratedHarassment is not tolerated Service delivery: Service delivery: institutions ensuring that their services is community institutions ensuring that their services is community

based and culturally sensitive.based and culturally sensitive. This entails the institution involving the community.This entails the institution involving the community. Community relations:Community relations: institutions communicating with the community institutions communicating with the community

and allowing them to become actively involved by allowing their input and and allowing them to become actively involved by allowing their input and power sharing.power sharing.

Policing In A Multicultural MilieuPolicing In A Multicultural Milieu

Even though media and education defines what is acceptable behaviour for society, the criminal justice system and police remains to be the backbone of institutional inclusiveness for they have the task of controlling and regulating the extent of “normal behaviors” by enforcing the law to protect its diverse citizens.

Increasing reports of discriminatory treatment of minorities by law enforcement through misplacing (either slow response rates to crime or excessive coverage) have lead to the criminalization of minorities. Instead of being at the forefront of the institutional inclusiveness, police-minority relations center on reports of police harassment, brutality and indifference (a FIDO attitude) and has become an institutionalized pattern.

The Minority ExperienceThe Minority Experience Statistics show that Blacks are more likely to

be stopped, charged, arrested locked up, and denied bail in our criminal justice system.

While white kids are taught to see the police as their friend, many black kids are taught by their parents how to “survive the police”.

“Any normal reaction is taken as an over-reaction, any quietness of temperament is taken as arrogance. You see a black person as being, for lack of a better term, “cool” under circumstances, it’s taken as arrogance. So you can’t win. You either say something and be termed as violent or you say nothing and be termed as arrogant.”

Alarmingly, when dealing with “minority crime”, police in Canada have been accused of preferring to shoot first and talk later. (Ex. In Montreal between 1988 & 1993 of the 10 people shot by the police 5 were Black and 3 were Hispanics)

Continuing patterns of racial discrimination by the police leave minorities estranged and the legitimacy of the police as protectors are considered null which results in thriving crime rates

Bridging the Gap: Community PolicingBridging the Gap: Community Policing

While police are accused of the bluntly assuming that minorities are predisposed to crime. Police have disputed these claims by arguing the increase attention on minorities has nothing to do with discriminatory practices but is instead a response to the flourishing number of street crimes that provoke police attention.

In turn, minority youths see themselves as rebelling against the white-dominated society and the white establishment that polices society

As a response to the uneasy relations between minorities & white law enforcement, all police services in Canada has endorsed multicultural policing which encourages and the recruitment of visible minority police that reflects the local population.

Community-based policing Aimed at establishing a more trusting relationship between the police and the communities they servethey serve. Transforming the police from a “force” to a “service” Involving communities to be part of crime control and prevention and developing a partnership rather than a

domineering indifferent authority figure assigned to protect white interest.

Community PolicingCommunity PolicingPartnership Perspective:Partnership Perspective: amends the public’s perception of the police. A working partnership is established and amends the public’s perception of the police. A working partnership is established and

crime control is not seen as “the police jobs” but are seen as “resource personanle” who cooperate crime control is not seen as “the police jobs” but are seen as “resource personanle” who cooperate and work with the citizens to prevent crimes.and work with the citizens to prevent crimes.

Prevention/Proactive:Prevention/Proactive: instead of using law enforcement as a deterrent to criminal offending, prevention through instead of using law enforcement as a deterrent to criminal offending, prevention through partnership with the community is endorsed. Attempts to deal with the problem before it arises partnership with the community is endorsed. Attempts to deal with the problem before it arises focuses on preventive programs designed by the community in partnership with the police.focuses on preventive programs designed by the community in partnership with the police.

Problem-Solving:Problem-Solving: works to remedy the problem of continuous responses to recurrent incidents by repeat works to remedy the problem of continuous responses to recurrent incidents by repeat offenders which have the effect of criminalizing an entire neighborhood. The strategy looks into offenders which have the effect of criminalizing an entire neighborhood. The strategy looks into identifying the underlying problems rather than merely responding to symptomsidentifying the underlying problems rather than merely responding to symptoms

Power-sharing:Power-sharing: sharing or even transferring authority to community leaders to loosen organizational structures sharing or even transferring authority to community leaders to loosen organizational structures and implementing mutually-agreed upon goalsand implementing mutually-agreed upon goals

Media & Minorities: A contested siteMedia & Minorities: A contested site

- Media has been criticized for inaccurate coverage of Aboriginal Media has been criticized for inaccurate coverage of Aboriginal Peoples and racial minorities because the media continues to Peoples and racial minorities because the media continues to stereotype them and ignore them as irrelevant and inferior. stereotype them and ignore them as irrelevant and inferior.

- The media has the ability to construct reality. They have the The media has the ability to construct reality. They have the ability to depict what is acceptable, important and desirable in ability to depict what is acceptable, important and desirable in society. society.

- The ruling class interests are better served by the media than The ruling class interests are better served by the media than minority needs.minority needs.

- Visible minorities are reduced to an invisible status through under Visible minorities are reduced to an invisible status through under representation in programming, staffing, and decision-making representation in programming, staffing, and decision-making

- The media does not know how to portray minorities. When they The media does not know how to portray minorities. When they portray minorities in a positive way they are criticized for being portray minorities in a positive way they are criticized for being unrealistic. Ex. Cosby Show. When they portray minorities as unrealistic. Ex. Cosby Show. When they portray minorities as poor they are accused of perpetuating stereotypes. It is a lose-poor they are accused of perpetuating stereotypes. It is a lose-lose situation for the media. lose situation for the media.

Is Disney Doing Diversity?Is Disney Doing Diversity?

What Do Children Learn From These Racist Depictions?

Children are taught that appearances outside the imprint of white middle-class culture are inferior, deviant, irrelevant, or threatening.

Children of color learn to dislike who they are.

Accounting For The Problem

Key personnel are unsure of how to integrate Canadians of color into the media without being accused of paternalism or tokenism.

Ads that prominently display minorities in a variety of controversial situations are praised by some as progressive, others see them as exploitative and insulting.

Media constitute systems of propaganda.

Is Disney Doing Diversity?Is Disney Doing Diversity?

Behind the playful animation of Disney lie cultural naiveté or political Behind the playful animation of Disney lie cultural naiveté or political insensitivity and sexism and racism in a subtle and disguised manner.insensitivity and sexism and racism in a subtle and disguised manner.

Disney has long had a race problem.Disney has long had a race problem.

Examples:Examples: The Jungle Book lampooned South IndiansThe Jungle Book lampooned South Indians David Crockett reveled in racist representations of Aboriginal PeoplesDavid Crockett reveled in racist representations of Aboriginal Peoples Lion King; Africa as nothing more than an Animal Kingdom and does not Lion King; Africa as nothing more than an Animal Kingdom and does not

look at Africa’s culture and people.look at Africa’s culture and people.

Multicultural & Anti- Racism EducationMulticultural & Anti- Racism Education

There are 2 approaches to Anti Racism Education and they consist of:

Monocultural Education- Teaching students the values and ideals of the dominant culture. School systems in Canada used to enforce monocultural education by enforcing euro centrism.

Multicultural Education- Thrives towards inclusiveness. The goal is to teach students to live together with differences.

Multicultural education has two different styles, moderate and Multicultural education has two different styles, moderate and radical. There are three forms of moderate multicultural radical. There are three forms of moderate multicultural education:education:

1.1. Enrichment-Enrichment- Aimed at all students who are exposed to a Aimed at all students who are exposed to a variety of cultures and are assigned projects with variety of cultures and are assigned projects with multicultural theme. The goal of enrichment is to promote multicultural theme. The goal of enrichment is to promote tolerance, sensitivity and harmony. One of the negative tolerance, sensitivity and harmony. One of the negative aspects of enrichment is that it does not focus on values aspects of enrichment is that it does not focus on values and beliefs; it focuses on the exotic aspects of the and beliefs; it focuses on the exotic aspects of the cultures. Another negative aspect is that it focuses on the cultures. Another negative aspect is that it focuses on the history of culture rather than current events.history of culture rather than current events.

2.2. Enlightenment-Enlightenment- An analytical approach to diversity. An analytical approach to diversity. Informs student of the relationship aspect of diversity. Informs student of the relationship aspect of diversity. Provides students with the knowledge of how minority Provides students with the knowledge of how minority majority relations created and what would be needed to majority relations created and what would be needed to change the relationship.change the relationship.

3.3. Empowerment-Empowerment- Can mean creating a safe space within Can mean creating a safe space within an existing institution for multiculturalism or it can mean an existing institution for multiculturalism or it can mean creating an institution run and attended by specific creating an institution run and attended by specific minorities. Ex. Islamic Schools. Some feel separate minorities. Ex. Islamic Schools. Some feel separate schools go against the grain of multiculturalism.schools go against the grain of multiculturalism.

Anti-Racism EducationAnti-Racism Education

Anti-Racism education actively challenges, resists and fights racism through Anti-Racism education actively challenges, resists and fights racism through direct action. It is proactive and process-oriented andt prioritizes a sharing direct action. It is proactive and process-oriented andt prioritizes a sharing of power. Four processes listed by Fleras are:of power. Four processes listed by Fleras are:

Critical insight into those intersecting disadvantages that students bring in Critical insight into those intersecting disadvantages that students bring in to the classroomto the classroom

An informed discourse that focuses on race and racism as issues of An informed discourse that focuses on race and racism as issues of power and inequality rather than matters of cultural differencepower and inequality rather than matters of cultural difference

An interrogation of existing school practices to uncover the structural roots An interrogation of existing school practices to uncover the structural roots of multi-culturalism and inequalityof multi-culturalism and inequality

Challenge to the status quo by fostering engagement through political and Challenge to the status quo by fostering engagement through political and social activism.social activism.

Multicultural & Anti- Racism EducationMulticultural & Anti- Racism Education

Multicultural Education celebratesMulticultural Education celebrates differences and anti-racism education involves identifying and removing racial barriers within education and within the general public.

Multicultural education is intolerantMulticultural education is intolerant of racism and anti-racism analyses how racism was historically created and structurally stained. Anti-racism also focuses on the power of the dominant group and transformations in the system needed for true multiculturalism to exist.