On the contrary, civic work should be a nonremunerative responsibility of membership in the commonwealth. Before long, one-third of the United States population will be of African, Asian, or Hispanic descent. As the numbers of people of color increase in a nation historically dominated by those of European descent, education for democracy will become more complex. The campus diversity movement has led to an increase in traditionally underrepresented students, faculty, and administrators at U.S. research universities. Although their representation is not yet proportionate to their numbers in the U.S. population, they make up influential enclaves in some institutions and contribute to a growing consciousness that social diversity nurtures excellence in education.
Diversity is also basic to education for democracy.
If democracy is about the participation of the people, and the people are increasingly diverse, then education in democracy must include education for diversity. Done well, these courses can contribute to some of the skills needed for involvement in a diverse society. Done badly, they can reinforce racial stereotypes and increase the prejudices they were designed to reduce. Wingspread participants agreed that education for democracy will require approaches that recognize difference in cultural groups and explore ways to build bridges across cultural boundaries. Now is the time to make the connection between democracy and diversity in preparing people for the society of the future.