The opportunities and challenges of diversity: Explaining its impact on individuals and groups

Constructions of difference in lay talk about diversity: Ideological dilemmas, antiracism and implications for identity

Dilemmas around differences among people may encapsulate ideological assumptions deep-rooted in modernity, according to work on ideological dilemmas. In this article, we suggest that ideological struggles such as the one between racism and antiracism may further ingrain ideological dilemmas around difference and put certain identities at stake. In a qualitative study addressing constructions of difference in lay talk about diversity, lay people in Greece argued about the meaningfulness, value, and public character of difference, deploying two lines of argumentation: an 'objectivist' line affirming categorical differences and hierarchies; and a 'subjectivist' argumentative line which deprived categorical differences of any importance and simultaneously celebrated differences assuming that differences only lie in individuals' minds. For this latter line of argumentation, constructions of difference appeared to perform a non-racist identity, making systematic comparisons to racists' alleged constructions of differences. Such comparisons were far less important for the objectivist argumentative line. These findings suggest that constructions of difference may be nested in ideological struggles, selectively reflecting the categorizations of the social world - and associated identities - advanced by ideological projects such as antiracism. The discussion points to theoretical implications for historical accounts of social categorization and social implications for current inclusive perspectives centred on diversity.

Navigating race in a racially diverse environment: An experience sampling study on the daily use of race in conversations within Hawaii

As the United States grows more racially diverse, it is imperative to understand whether being in a racially diverse environment impacts conversations about race. This study examines whether exposure to, and interactions with racially diverse others relate to whether people talk about race, the frequency with which people talk about race, and their comfort with doing so within the racially diverse context of Hawaii. We employed experience sampling to measure whether people had conversations about race, how frequently conversations about race occurred and their comfort in those conversations, and whether their exposure to and interactions with racially diverse others predicted these behaviors. Exposure to and interactions with racially diverse others were not significant predictors of race-related conversations (and their comfort with said conversations). However, interactions with racially diverse friends was related to greater likelihood of discussing race, more frequent discussions of race, and more comfort with race-related conversations. These findings illustrate the importance that interactions with cross-race friends have for improving intergroup relations.

Toward whom does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Exploring national majorities' prejudice toward ethnic and migrant minorities

Although the effectiveness of intergroup contact as a mechanism for reducing prejudice is well-established, limited research has simultaneously examined this effect among groups that are in different contact relationships. Using data based on a between-group cross-sectional design from 335 Turkish undergraduate students, this study compared the direct and the indirect association of intergroup contact with prejudice toward Kurds and Syrians in Turkey through intergroup threat. The results showed that intergroup contact predicted less prejudice toward Kurds but not toward Syrians, and intergroup threat mediated the role of intergroup contact in prejudice toward Kurds but not toward Syrians. The findings were discussed based on theories of intergroup contact and intergroup threat, with a reflection on the limitations, extensions, and implications of the study.

International migration, cross-cultural interaction, and the development of personal wisdom

Drawing on semi-structured in-depth interviews with Romanian immigrants in Ontario, Canada, conducted between 2014 and 2018, this article explores how the experiences acquired by the Romanian immigrants through migration and multicultural intercourse facilitate the development of personal wisdom. We show how our research participants perceived these geographical processes of migration and place-based multiethnic cohabitation to account for their growing wiser than their earlier selves. Specifically, we organize the description of these perceptions into three interrelated themes: (1) changes in perspective, (2) the learning of new things, and (3) the role of place in fostering wisdom. Against this background, the article also highlights the boundary conditions within which these processes may or may not foster the development of wisdom, acknowledging that not all migratory and multicultural experiences lead to prosocial and adaptive outcomes. Our discussion of these boundary conditions with the research participants coalesced into five recurrent themes: (1) adaptation to the new environment and social system, (2) the role of the host environment as a boundary condition, (3) the problem of unmet expectations, (4) the magnitude of the cultural shocks, and (5) the language barrier. Bearing the complex politics of these boundary conditions in mind, we argue that the experience of international migration and subsequent cross-cultural interaction can be usefully understood as a ‘fertile ground’ for the flourishing of personal wisdom, which itself can act as an individual and collective resource for cohabitation in multicultural settings.