Focus Question Three

Is the diversity that we see throughout the world challenging assimilationist notions of citizenship and forcing global entities to construct new concepts of citizenship and citizenship education? Yes. Why? Strictly speaking, for myself, assimilation has always said to me, that I must become someone else if I am going to enjoy the benefits that “being an American” have to offer. Assimilation says that at the very least my heritage, ethnicity, and language must all be altered if I am going to fit in. Certainly, I do not mean to suggest that standards need to be nor should they be lowered or that a different measuring stick should judge minorities. However when you look at the word and it means to consume and incorporate, to transform, and/or to make similar, that concept cuts a little piece out of the fabric of ones self-esteem. I firmly believe that knowledge can be learned and applied within the context of ones heritage or ethnicity, which by all accounts, should create synergistic opportunities (Gardner)
If we are to compete globally or be global citizens, we must learn the way of others around the globe. I think we want to move just “tolerating and being tolerated” to that deeper place of seeking first to understand. In Gardner’s’ Five Future Minds, he speaks of the respectful mind. I think that mind applies to this question. When one tries to understand that which is different versus trying to make it take another shape, then one has demonstrated respect for that which is unfamiliar.