Abstract
Cultural and social diversity in the United States (USA) is demanded by a need for cultural competency and a representative bureaucracy in public institutions. Cultural competency is desired due to its recognition as an essential means of ensuring institutional effectiveness in a pluralistic society such as the USA. Furthermore, given the basic premise in a democratic republic like the USA is that its people should be represented in the governance of the country, a representative bureaucracy is a means of realizing this ideal. This chapter examines the various strategies utilized by educational and other public entities in efforts to achieve cultural competency and a representative bureaucracy in the workplace. To ensure that these principles are implemented, the USA realizes the importance of educational access as a means of promoting a successful transition to the workplace. Achieving these ideals is still a work in progress. Legal confrontations have ensued in efforts at extending educational opportunities to all cultural and social groups in US society. In the process, these confrontations have allowed a policy initiative to be forged in the courts, declaring cultural and social diversity a compelling national interest in higher education.
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Mitchell, C.E. (2012). Cultural and Social Diversity in the United States: A Compelling National Interest. In: Tchibozo, G. (eds) Cultural and Social Diversity and the Transition from Education to Work. Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 17. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5107-1_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5107-1_2
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