What other ways do you cultivate a more diverse environment? Please click here to share your ideas.
Diversity
Environment
Diversity is a concept central to the founding of the United States. As a country whose population was originally composed of Native Americans and immigrants from all other countries, the US is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. While it may be easy to understand cultural diversity in the U.S., one might ask how diversity is represented in other countries around the world.
In an article written in 2013 by Max Fisher at the Washington Post, data from the Harvard Institute for Economic Research was used to measure ethnic diversity across the globe. The data presented the following trends:
Diversity
Environment
North America: The North American continent has some of the most consistent diversity rankings, with Canada as the most ethnically diverse country. Interestingly enough, the United States lands in the center of the diversity ranking spectrum. Central America ranked lower on the spectrum of cultural diversity, which is a trend among the smaller, tightly packed countries.
South America: The majority of South America ranked higher on the diversity spectrum than the United States, but the further south you look, the less diverse the countries become. Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay are all more ethnically homogenous than countries like Brazil.
Africa: Africa ranked as the most diverse continent, with many of the central African countries ranking at the top of the spectrum. Some of the North African countries like Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia rank lower in ethnic diversity, as well as the country of Eswatini.
Diversity
Environment
Europe: Overall, European countries ranked low on the diversity scale. France, Poland, Italy, and the Nordic countries ranked as the most ethnically homogenous. Smaller countries like Belgium and Switzerland ranked significantly higher on the scale.
Asia: Eastern Asia ranked as more culturally homogenous, while island countries ranked much higher. India ranked the same as the US with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran ranking higher than many other countries in the continent.
Australia/Oceania: Australia ranked as more ethnically homogenous, and New Zealand ranked higher. Many countries in the South Pacific ranked high on the ethnic diversity scale.
The key takeaway from the ethnic diversity ranking is that many of the countries westerners think of as diverse are not necessarily ethnically diverse. Many other countries, like those found throughout central Africa, may offer significantly more ethnic diversity than other countries like France or Italy.
Diversity
Environment
Another takeaway from this data is that diversity can look different in various countries. While the United States appears diverse to Americans, smaller countries may have different kinds of diversity. Cultural differences found in African and central Asian countries should be shared, as well as cultural aspects found in one’s home country. Easy ways to experience other cultures without needing to travel can be by making authentic recipes or watching movies from other countries. Additionally, many cities have authentic markets that sell food and products from different countries. By shopping at these local markets, you can experience another culture while actively supporting that culture’s presence in the community. Learning about these smaller, more diverse countries as well as larger countries will lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of global diversity.
What other ways do you cultivate a more diverse environment? Please click here to share your ideas, we’d all love to learn more ways to spread diversity! Be diverse. Take care and stay connected.
