Edwation From Diversity

S

to Enrichment

OMETHING about the word diversity tugs at the psyche. It has an element of excitement, even adventure. Yet, it also may convey a threat-something different and therefore dreaded. Nursing must consider carefully the full meaning of diversity and work diligently to ensure that it is not just another short-lived cause that, after a period of fashion, will be tossed on that giant trash heap of used buzzwords. Diversity is a major emphasis throughout the country now, usually in the sense of cultural diversity. It is not merely the absence of racism, and it is not a numbers game. Diversity denotes a way of thinking, a world view that not only tolerates but values differences. Decades ago, studies of the authoritarian personality concluded that prejudice usually does not have a singular target. Compartmentalized thinking, whether about ethnic groups or theoretical constructs, closes the mind to alternatives. The isolation produced by carefully drawn mental boundaries may give the illusion of tidiness and order in an otherwise chaotic environment, but it also deludes us with a false sense of security in a rapidly changing world. I propose that attitudes toward diversity (1) are learned and can develop toward maturity and (2) are multiple, not singular, in their expression. Furthermore, these attitudes, specifically toward cultural and intellecutal diversity, are interactive. perry (1970) summarized cognitive development as the progress from dualism to multiplicity to relativism. At the first level, people see the world in polarities and absolutes: we-they, black-white, good-bad. Such thinking serves some valuable purposes, particularly in regard to moral and ethical development. Yet, dualistic thought is fertile ground for prejudice, and it limits one’s openness to assessment of alternatives. Multiplicity, recognizing that multiple views may stem from fact, opinion, or individual preferences, requires questioning the validity of dualistic views, often a disquieting experience. It may be so disturbing that it leads to war, clan feuds, curriculum battles, restrictive admissions policies, or discrimination in the workplace. Relativism puts situations in context, with alternative interpretations of any given even or set of questions. This level of attitudinal and cognitive maturity does not come easily or automatically. It is not even the product of a “scientific” mind because approaches to science also can

SUE THOMAS HEGYVARY, PHD, FAAN ProfuIM. and Deun

reveal scientists and educators wearing blinders to alternative approaches. How does nursing as a profession score in cultural and intellectual diversity? Culturally, nursing is very homogeneous. Is that by design or default? Is it the product of societal stereotypes, or is it of our own doing? Do schools of nursing have specific strategies implemented to make nursing more heterogeneous, for example, by gender or ethnicity, in keeping with an increasingly heterogeneous society? At the same time, the issue of intellectual diversity is of great importance. I used to consider it amusing, then annoying, and now distressing, to be asked to which nursing theory our school subscribes. Whether we had engaged in testing the theory rarely is part of the query. Questions about whether the faculty use quantitative or qualitative approaches elicit a similar response that is both cognitive and visceral. Such questions sound like market surveys about designer brand names and imply that loyalty may change when more fashionable brands come along. They resonate dualistic thought and arrested development and are the antithesis of scientific and cognitive maturity in a pluralistic world. Narrowly defined, dichotomized prescriptions of theory in nursing education can be regarded only as immature and academically irresponsible. In recent years, nursing science has been enriched by the emergence of multimethod, multiparadigmatic approaches to developing and testing theories. Even those mosr entrenched in specific approaches have been challenged and excited by seminars and collaborative experiences in which highly divergent views are applied to problems or questions. Can such enrichment apply to other types of diversity, such as cultural? I think it can. Faculty and students who experience cross-cultural practice, education, and research gain perspectives that otherwise are out of reach. Many opportunities-travel, studying another language, studies in anthropology or other fields, and spending time immersed in a different culture-open those windows of our minds. Like physical cross-training, challenging the mind in one area gives increased agility for pursuits in other areas. Is working toward diversity worth the effort? Consider the cost of not opening the windows to both cultural and intellectual enrichment. Isolation and homogeneity no longer are viable options. Diversity is not only the reality of the future; it is the exciting challenge and opportunity of the present.

University of Washington School of Nursing

Reference

Seattle, WA 98195

Copyright 0 1992 by W.B. SaundersCompany 875%7223/92/0805-0003$03.00/O

Perry, W. G. (1970). FGWILS of intelktual and ethical development in the collegeywv. New York: Holr, Rineholr and Winston.

Jownul of Professional Nursing, Vol 8, No 5 (September-October),

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Education. From diversity to enrichment.

Edwation From Diversity S to Enrichment OMETHING about the word diversity tugs at the psyche. It has an element of excitement, even adventure. Yet,...
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