Making Meaning of Whiteness: A Pedagogical Approach for Multicultural Education

Background and Purpose. Classroom diversity in higher education is an important component of multicultural education. Despite affirmative-action plans supporting diversity, physical therapist programs continue to underrepresent minorities, hence compromising the ability to effectively educate physical therapist students for multiculturalism. This paper suggests the use of racial identity theory and whiteness as pedagogy for exploring the issues of difference and for developing attitudes supportive of cultural pluralism. This paper also presents a theoretical framework of multicultural education that educates for the cultural pluralism that supports the social justice and social action necessary for confronting health care disparities. Position and Rationale. Five theoretical approaches to multicultural education are presented. The last, the multicultural and social reconstructionist approach, acknowledges that oppression embedded in social structures give rise to societal disparities. While this knowledge empowers for social justice, it does not ensure the development of culturally pluralistic attitudes. Other pedagogies are necessary for students to actively engage with the privilege and power issues of difference. The white racial identity theory and the people of color racial identity theory provide for the personal exploration of privilege, oppression, and difference that support cultural pluralism. Discussion and Conclusion. Physical therapist education programs are obligated to graduate students who have acquired the necessary skills to address the health care needs of the demographically diverse population in the United States. In addition, students must develop the skills to confront health care disparities. By combining the multicultural and social reconstructionist education approach, and the exploration of whiteness and race using racial identity theory, physical therapist educators can educate students for the cultural pluralism that empowers social action and social justice.