Terms Of Self-awareness Research Articles

Planning and Pluralism: Some Dimensions of Intergroup Relations

Few guidelines exist for effective communications between American people from diverse economic, racial and cultural backgrounds. What heritage there is stems from a melting pot philosophy which assumed positions of superiority and control for middle-class northern European Protestants, and which forced other groups into positions of self-defense and mistrust. Pluralism, as defined by Barbara Sizemore, is condition of cultural parity among ethnic groups in a common society., Essentially, that parity may be dependent both on the individual and power derived from identification with one group and upon the achievement of effective communication between groups, toward the amelioration of common problems. This article discusses dimensions of intergroup relations for consideration by persons whose work and/or interests place them in the position of communicating and planning with others whose backgrounds and group identities vary. We believe that current human relations literature falls short of this goal; we see it as helpful, in a general sense, in terms of self-awareness, group dynamics, communications skills, value clarification and the like. That literature has not, however, specifically addressed itself to the subleties of communicating in pluralistic settings. Intergroup communications often occur in planning sessions in the education arena, and frequently occur in times of crisis or under conditions of mistrust and tension. The writers will project