Working with ‘Diverse Bodies, Diverse Identities’: an approach to professional education about ‘diversity’

Abstract

The complexity and diversity of populations in contemporary Western societies is becoming a significant public policy issue. The concept of ‘diversity’ has come to represent cultural, ethnic, racial and religious differences between the ‘dominant group’ and immigrant and indigenous populations. ‘Diversity training’ is amongst many strategies being implemented to address social and economic objectives in complex societies. This paper discusses and critically evaluates a professional education programme, ‘Diverse Bodies, Diverse Identities’, that is offered to human service practitioners and social work students in Victoria, Australia. It is concluded that a range of approaches is needed to address ‘diversity’ in contemporary societies.

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Glenda MacNaughton and colleagues at the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood, University of Melbourne, for sponsoring a part of the author's sabbatical in 2003, during which this paper was completed. The author is also grateful to Patrick Hughes, Deakin University, Australia, and Sue Wise, Lancaster University, UK, for feedback on drafts of this paper. A version of this paper was presented to the IASSW Conference, Montpellier, France, July 2002.

Notes

1. ‘Dominant’ groups may form a numerical majority (e.g. in Australia or the UK), or despite being a numerical minority, may occupy positions of status, authority and privilege that entrench their dominance (e.g. the White South African regime under Apartheid).