The Great Diversity Debate

Based on research from multiple disciplines, The Great Diversity Debate describes the presence and growth of diversity in the United States from the country’s earliest years to the present. The author describes how the concept of pluralism evolved from a philosophical term to a concept used in many disciplines and with global significance. Rather than assuming that diversity is an unequivocal benefit, Koppelman investigates the ways in which diversity is actually experienced and debated across critical sectors of social experience, including immigration, affirmative action, education, and national identity. Koppelman takes the sometimes complicated arguments for and against diversity in school and society and lays out the benefits with great clarity and simplicity, making this book accessible to a large audience.

Book Features:

• A broad view of diversity in the United States based on research from philosophy, psychology, sociology, political science, economics, and more.
• Cogent arguments from both advocates and critics concerning whether pluralism represents an appropriate response to diversity in a democratic society.
• An overview of multicultural education, including its origins and its current emphasis on strategies such as culturally responsive teaching.

Kent Koppelman is professor emeritus of teacher education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

“A fascinating, detailed, and evenhanded account.”
—Christine Sleeter, President, National Association for Multicultural Education