Multicultural Discussion the Objective of This Study

Multicultural Discussion

The objective of this study is to describe the cultural understanding held of ethnocultural privilege in this society and how this has been observed in relation to oneself and others ands to answer how one holds privilege and what has been observed regarding others who are holders of ethnocultural privilege.

Ethnocultural Privilege Defined

Ethnocultural privilege is a privilege that the individual derives from belonging to a specific ethnic cultural group. This privilege is related in the work of Noel (2010) who states "I must face directly the privilege that my Whiteness, as well as my class and educational level, give me, and must realize the community members are also working though how they see me."

When Equal is Not Always Equal

Parsons (2001) relates that while socioeconomically disadvantages and socioeconomically advantages students, Anglo students and students of color, male students, and female student may have access to equal educational opportunity by occupying the same classroom space, they do not necessarily enjoy equal and fair access to the same quality of experience within that classroom." (p.321) The inequalities are reported to be "subtle…yet pervasive and persistent" existing in American classrooms. Gender equity and whiteness are reported as two research areas that make provision of important insight on inequalities.

According to Parsons, the literature on whiteness defines privilege as "an influential status that engenders favor. This influential status, often oblivious to those who have it, is not earned, but inherited." (2001, p.322) The work of Steele (2007) notes that there is great difficulty connected to stereotypes in education since it "affects the vanguard of these groups, those with the skills and self-confidence to have identified with the domain." (Steele, 2007, p. 612)

III. Importance of Comprehension of Ethnocultural Privilege

While there are members of the white class who are also members of the mid and upper socioeconomic classes that do have perceive their state of ethnocultural privilege, the individual who holds this privilege has a responsibility to know that they possess such status and to realize that their reality is often not the reality of those who are not 'privileged' and from an ethical standpoint the privileged individual is the individual to whom more is given and therefore, from whom more is expected in the areas of responsibility and cognition and most specifically taking into account the views and perspectives of others. Noel's work in writing is important because she examines herself from the view of the less fortunate and specifically those who are not 'privileged' in terms of their ethnicity and their cultural background and this critical analysis that Noel self-conducts is very candid and pertinent and assists Noel in her interactions with those who are not 'privileged' in terms of their ethnicity and cultural background. Noel states that there are three levels in the creation of change: (1) building relationships; (2) developing common understandings; and (3) taking action. All of these are necessary in order to create change. (2010)