Taking on Diversity: How We Can Move from Anxiety to Respect

by Rupert W. Nacoste

In this enlightening book, a campus "diversity doctor" relatesstories that individuals have shared with him about their anxieties in situations involving people who are in some way different than themselves. Dr. Rupert W. Nacoste regularly counsels students at North Carolina State University about their problems dealing with diversity of all kinds, including of gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual-orientation. Here, he shares his most effective techniques for handling the unavoidable realities of being in a neo-diverse community, whether that means in college or America as a nation. The author's proven "safe space" strategy can be applied to the campus, community groups, churches, and workplaces as a means to facilitate positive dialogue about diversity.In this time of current tensions, students, or "young travelers" as Nacoste fondly refers to them, still have much work ahead of them to achieve mutual respect and understanding. From everyday encounters, parties, and email and social media exchanges, they provide examples of ongoing racial slurs and stereotypes are still used; young men continue to project demeaning attitudes toward women; and the heterosexual majority sometimes shows little understanding of the LBGT minority.Dr. Nacoste considers it his role to usher students off the "Wrong-Line train," and he has noticed that as they "leave the station," adults begin to follow their lead. The author demonstrates how we can maintain fairness and respect while still acknowledging our differences. By doing so, we can all learn to meet these challenges using sensitivity to different perspectives, open-minded attitudes, and the recognition that diversity in America is here to stay.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology

368 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

I am a college professor; named distinguished at that. But I do not write my books for other scholars. I write my books to reach the everyday reader-citizen. Pick up any of my books and you will immediately find yourself in conversation with me.

My books include my memoir, Making gumbo in the university (2010; Austin, TX: Plain View Press), Howl of the wolf: NC State Students Call Out for Social Change (2012; Lulu.com) Taking on diversity: How we can move from anxiety to respect (2015; Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books) and my newest, To Live Woke: Thoughts to carry in our struggle to save the soul of America (Loyola University Baltimore, Md: Apprentice House Press)

In each you will find me making some connection to the topic at hand and my life experiences That is obvious for the memoir. But it is also true for my other books. The why is that my way into writing about the nonfiction topics of diversity that I take on, is rooted in my experiences as a black man growing up during America’s time of legal racial segregation, along with my time in the U.S. Navy.

During my service (1972-1976), to deal with its serious racial problems, the Department of Defense trained me (and others) to be a facilitator of racial dialogues among sailors. From that 1974 point onward, adding academic degrees, I have worked as a scholar-activist of interpersonal and intergroup relationships. That work is also how I come to be an Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor of Psychology at North Carolina State University.

Reviews

[April Helms · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading by anyone who wants to hold public office, anyone who teaches and… really anyone who wants to interact with the public on any level. I’ve purged a lot of read books from my shelves, but I plan to keep this one. It not only brings up several issues regarding our diverse nation that I never considered before, but offers solutions on bridging the gaps that exist. Boy, do we need that right now! Nacoste, who teaches at North Carolina State University, would be a cool teacher to have. His writing style is conversational and easy to follow, but he pulls no punches. One thing he emphasizes is that there are no innocents. Or, to quote a song from Avenue Q, Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist. The book goes into more than just issues of race, and Nacoste includes numerous examples of his students’ writings (withholding names). One thing I hear a good deal is that discrimination is in the past, and discrimination doesn’t happen today. This book is a wakeup call- the very real examples of discrimination along issues of race, ethnicity, disability, sex, and religion are all too current. Prejudice is still very much alive and well, and all the more rabid from some sectors as we head on a (hopefully) steady course towards an increasingly diverse future. I say “hopefully” because Nacoste’s view is that there is no turning back time, no going back to segregation and government-sanctioned discrimination. I, personally, hope he is right. But events of this past year make me wonder if we can take progress so much for granted. Still, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to help the people in our society work through our differences.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of getting to know Dr. Nacoste before he generously sent me his book to read along with a warm letter...and that always makes me a little edgy about reviewing a book. What if I don't like it? What if I don't grok to it?

I grokked to it.

Our culture struggles to know what to do with the dynamics of race. We either ignore it or overthink it, forming peculiar, binary, reactive cultures of ignorance or anxiety. This book wends its way towards a more constructive, engaged approach to our differences. Though clearly grounded in research, it's more about our mutual storytelling...how the narratives about race that shape and challenge us can be turned towards understanding and graciousness.

The more I read it, the more it engaged me, as Dr. Nacoste generously engages the voices and lived experienced of others into his exploration.

Well worth a look.

[Lisa]

Vitally crucial book for the 2020s. Explains the discomfort we all have encountering groups we don't know how to interact with. Toward the back, gives research-backed wording we can practice and use to confront bigotry and ignorant hatred. Everyone should read this book.

Bonus: comes from a viewpoint that we are all one, and need to stand up for change politely and tactfully yet strongly.

[Demetrius K. Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely a must read! Not only does it discuss a topic that is more than relevant today, but it provides anecdotal evidence from students that experience prejudice, bigotry, and racism today (an aside, the three are completely different things that are described and explained in exemplary form). The topic of race in America is typically a tenuous and controversial discussion but Dr. Nacoste masterfully expounds the process of how these interaction are rooted in anxiety without dogmatically pontificating from "the mountain top;" instead, it is made abundantly clear that "there are NO innocent, which includes himself and everyone else. It captures and shows a glimpse of what is going on in America from a microcosm of students with his own experiences carefully woven within and paints a picture of the direction needed for change. As one progresses through the chapters and reads the detailed yet succinct analyses, one could not help but to ask, "what would I have done in that situation?" Even though he is a distinguished professor with decades of experience dealing with group interactions, the book is written in a form that people of all ages can read and understand the core concepts.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read, and I read over 100 a year! In this inspiring book, award-winning professor, Dr. Rupert Nacoste teaches us how to confront the many changes facing America today. We have come a long way as a nation, but we still have a great deal of work to do. Students at N.C. State University tell their stories of intense interpersonal encounters that have stuck with them. Dr. Nacoste takes these stories of how students have dealt with intolerance in PRESENT DAY AMERICA and stories from the news to show us where we have gone wrong and to lead us in a better direction.

[Taylor Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully written explanation of how we should analyze the anxiety that surrounds humans when interacting with people of other races, sexualities, demographics, etc.

[Alastair Fyfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am immensely grateful for the content of the subject. Nacoste does an appropriate job of addressing roots of prejudice, bigotry, and group segregation, with the ability of influencing young minds. His ability to deconstruct neo-diversity towards intrapersonal anxiety suffered, and how to amend through the empowerment of building interpersonal rapports, using importance of "I" statements, social assessments, community develop through shared language practices and inclusive of tactics on how to avoid making assumptions based on appearances or media-messaging.
What is lacking in the book is the writing style. Personally, I found it to be too repetitive and slightly ego-tistical at times. Upon, watching Dr. Nacoste speak on Ted-talks, i fully understand that his strengths are public speaking, and he wrote this book as such; academia writing is it's own cluster and has a very separate and distinguished tones than the latter.
" Taking on diversity" is a great reference for anyone instructing on diversity differences, and ways to overcome them. Additionally, its a a great read for any incoming freshman at a large public university where differences in social identifications of race, gender, sex, background will be faced.

[Alex Moll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written book that is important to help americans in the neo-diverse world we live in and the interaction that come with it. This book will help students who may struggle with interracial interactions that can be very anxiety filled. This book was easy and exciting to read because he put in a lot of student comments, which helped put a perspective on the things he would talk about. This book helped teach me ways to intervene bigoted remarks. Overall a great read and would recommend to all adults.

[Anne Galamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource book! Doesn't read like a text book even though it looks like one.