Understanding Multiculturalism and Valuing Diversity: A Theoretical Perspective

The issues involved with the concept of multiculturalism have received much attention of late, but little has been offered within the physical education and sport literature upon which to build a theory-based examination. This paper presents two specific approaches to understanding multiculturalism, valuing diversity, and taking proactive stances in regard to educating about diversity in society and in physical education and sport settings in particular. An adaptation of Chesler and Crowfoot's (1990, 1992) organizational stages of multiculturalism and Bennett's (1991, 1993) model of ethnocentric and ethnorelative stages of intercultural sensitivity are used as theoretical bases for understanding in these areas.