Book reviews -- Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society by Donna M. Golnick and Philip C. Chinn

DONNA M. GOLLNLICK and PHILIP C. CHINN. Mulitcultural Education in a Pluralistic Society. Riverside: Macmillan College Publishing Company, 1994. 416 pages. Price not yet available.

With a wealth of knowledge, experience, and widely accepted publications in the area of multicultural education, Donna M. Gollnick and Philip C. Chinn have succeeded in coming out with a remarkably rich book that gives a very vivid portrayal of the complexity of multicultural issues.

In their effort to discuss and define the term "multiculturalism," the authors use seven distinctive "micro-cultures" as a basic framework. Their argument stems from the fact that multiculturalism is more than just ethnicity. While using this paradigm, the authors attempt to illustrate that individuals or families are part and parcel of a variety of micro-cultures that transcend their heritage. In each chapter, the educational implications for each group are thoroughly discussed. In these sections of the book, the emphasis is on helping book users to develop ways to weave these implications into the teaching or learning process, and into their lives.

This book has four major strengths. The first strength is a scenario that is found at the beginning of each chapter. These scenarios are intended to involve students right away and to assist them in placing the topics in each chapter into a classroom context. The second strength is a well-developed chapter on sexism. In this chapter, issues dealing with socialization and suggestions on how classroom teachers can acquire skills on how to eliminate gender biases are thoroughly covered.

The third strength is an extensive discussion of concerns surrounding issues such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, AIDS, human sexuality, and emotional or physical abuse at different stages in human development. The chapter on gender has been expanded to cover topics that deal with controversial issues such as derogatory remarks, homosexuality, and ways to help gay students seek counseling assistance. The fourth strength is found in the last part of the book, which the authors devote to case-study readings that deal with real-life vignettes intended to help students develop solutions to potential classroom problems.

Most chapters contain concepts that help students to vicariously learn to think critically as they get involved in class discussions. Even though research study cases are cited whenever deemed fit, they do not detract from the book user's reading tempo or comprehension. Gollnick and Chinn's book is well written, well scoped and sequenced, and very well balanced in its content. It is ideal for undergraduate or graduate introductory courses in multicultural education.

K. Paul Kasambira is professor of education at Bradley University, in Peoria, Illinois, where he teaches multicultural education, teaching methods, and counseling courses. He has been published in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa.

Copyright National Forum: Phi Kappa Phi Journal Winter 1994
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