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

• Advances social reform

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