Prof. T. Scott Bledsoe of Azusa Pacific Univeristy, USA expresses the inspiration and purpose behind his co-authored publication,
Using Narratives and Storytelling to Promote Cultural Diversity on College Campuses.
It often seems like we live in two separate worlds. There is a left side and right side, blue and red, liberal and conservative, etc.; the list – and the divide – goes on. Suffice it to say, somewhere along the line, ideologies and worldviews became more important than human beings. Recent events such as presidential elections, racially-motivated killings, and immigration issues, along with global phenomena such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have only served to widen the gap. It is hard to pinpoint where it all began and it is harder still to know how it will ultimately play out. So where might hopeful opportunities be found? And who is best equipped to bring about necessary changes that could result in greater unity? The answer may lie in the countless stories that are told on college campuses and the many students and instructors who bring them to life.
Through elementary, middle, and high school, young people are exposed to varying degrees of diversity in their homes and communities. On college campuses, childhood experiences intersect with new possibilities, providing the perfect setting to nurture these journeys. Students may hear multilayered stories of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, ability and disability, faith, and indigenous origin, resulting in connections that can ultimately change their lives. As such, they have the capacity to better understand the persons before them in addition to the ideologies that may have previously kept them apart.
| | Using Narratives and Storytelling to Promote Cultural Diversity on College Campuses | Prof. T. Scott Bledsoe (Azusa Pacific University, USA) and Prof. Kimberly A. Setterlund (Azusa Pacific University, USA)
©2021 | 260 pgs. | EISBN13: 9781799840701 | - Covers Topics such as Cultural Diversity, Psychosocial Development, & Classroom Engagement
- Ideal for Academicians, Psychologists, Sociologists, & More
- Excellent Addition to your Institution's Library
- 10% Discount on e-Books acquired via GOBI, OASIS, and the IGI Global Online Bookstore through December 31st, 2022.
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Using Narratives and Storytelling to Promote Cultural Diversity on College Campuses is an essential research publication that offers a key framework for identifying culture-based narratives within a rich learning environment. The book follows five college students through an array of divergent experiences and provides a dialogue about diversity through personal narratives of college faculty, students, staff, and administrators. Multi-layered experiences come alive in ten chapters, each of which concludes with exercises carefully designed for the academic classroom. While reading, students from all backgrounds can process their own diverse stories while gaining knowledge from the many narratives throughout the book.
As listeners and storytellers, it is imperative that we recognize the stories that shape the world around us. Narratives of racial intolerance and social justice may seem overwhelming from afar and yet as we move closer, they invite renewed perspectives and deeper understanding. Highlighting a range of topics including microaggressions, ethnicity, feminism, psychosocial development, and implicit bias, this book is ideal for all who seek to take diversity to new heights in the academic classroom. We hope you will make Using Narratives and Storytelling to Promote Cultural Diversity on College Campuses an integral learning resource for your campus today.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of IGI Global.
About Prof. Bledsoe
Prof. T. Scott Bledsoe is a Professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Azusa Pacific University. He is the Director of Clinical Training for PsyD Internship and teaches students of both Doctoral Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy. He has taught cultural diversity courses for several years and is passionate about issues related to this topic. As a Diversity Ambassador, he is the coordinator of the Diversity Mosaic Experience, a program which showcases culture-based video narratives of students, staff, faculty, and administrators at the university. Dr. Bledsoe maintains a private psychotherapy practice and is active in the Azusa community. Before embarking on a career in clinical psychology, he worked as an elementary school teacher and technology coordinator at 49th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, California.
About IGI Global
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