• Course Listing
• Register Here
• Login

Multicultural Awareness

Peace workers will often confront culturally challenging situations, due to the nature of their work. It is imperative that peace workers understand and are able to work in environments that are fundamentally different from their own. The objective of this course is to help build the capacity of peace workers to be sensitive and respectful of diversity and to enable them to better maneuver themselves within different cultural contexts.

This course is divided into two related parts. The first half is dedicated to developing the learner's understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of culture, multiculturalism and diversity. The learner will understand what culture and diversity mean, culture's relationship to peacebuilding, and some of the debates surrounding cultural relativism. The second half of the course is devoted to developing the skills and capacities of peace workers to work in multicultural contexts. The learner will begin by examining her or his own culture and developing skills for understanding and effectively working with other cultures. Various practical skills will be developed, including leadership with diversity and utilizing cultural resources for peacebuilding.

There are fifteen lessons in total for the course. The last lesson requires the learner to recall all that she or he has learned throughout the course and take the End-of-Course Examination.