Multicultural Literature
- Represents voices omitted from traditional canons
- A Window through which to view other cultures
- A Mirror which reflects the reader's culture
- Opens dialogue on diversity issues
- Recognizes minority cultures left voiceless in the classroom
Two theoretical perspectives exist for reading and teaching multicultural
literature:
Liberal Multiculturalism
- Studies different cultures to encourage respect and appreciation of diversity
- Emphasizes commonality over differences in multicultural literature
- Universal themes are found across diverse cultural backgrounds
- Requires an etic understanding of multicultural literature
- Rejects an "us vs. them" approach to multicultural literature and accepts a "we're all the same" association
- Universal themes represent a broader collective humanity and are valued over particular culture differences
Critical Multiculturalism
- Studies the different social structures of power that exist within multicultural literature
- Resists the universality of themes so that multicultural literature remains unique to a particular culture
- Requires an emic understanding of multicultural literature
- Embraces particular cultural differences in order to create equality in multicultural literature