Its goals are the dignity of full recognition for all peoples and more just relationships among us. In exploring American pluralism, the initiative has become a creative catalyst, challenging educators and learners to develop ways to live together productively in communities that value difference. Toleration, once considered a signal social virtue, is insufficient. Liberal education helps learners develop the cognitive skills, affective understanding, and societal knowledge they need as individuals, citizens, and members of the community. Studying it helps both learners and educators develop skills for analysis, thoughtful reflection, and grounded decision-making.
Society continually struggles with competing values and aspirations.
Learning about diversity and democracy prepares citizens for engaged and responsible citizenship. Intellectual and experiential knowledge of societal diversity have become prerequisites for success in virtually every profession, as well as in daily life. The association views study of both United States diversity and world cultures as equally necessary and mutually reinforcing. There are 127 colleges and universities directly involved in the ongoing work of the initiative. Since its inception in 1990, CDI has supported 250 colleges and universities in institutional planning, faculty development, and curricular renewal related to societal diversity.