An American dilemma revisited: Race relations in a changing world

This paper studies interracial housing and eating under conditions of involuntary association. It focuses on mealtime behavior of white and Negro patients in a new, nonsegregated psychiatric hospital. The hospital, built with Hill-Burton funds, outlaws discrimination; by law, both staff and patient populations must be integrated. The city in which the hospital is located, however, supports taboos on interracial housing and eating. As a consequence, patients in the hospital have to resolve this conflict between organizational and community norms. This paper examines some of the ways in which patients came to terms with the American dilemma.

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Accepting Tolerance and Diversity

IASL Annual Conference Proceedings ◽

10.29173/iasl8199 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 223-226

Author(s):

Madeleine Hoss ◽

Roslyn Wylie

Keyword(s):

Race Relations ◽

Classroom Teacher ◽

Research Projects ◽

World Culture ◽

Rich Diversity ◽

The World ◽

The Rich ◽

Different Cultures ◽

Changing World

Exploring diversity instills in children an awareness and respect for themselves and others. Research projects that address stereotyping, race relations, and prejudice within ourselves can be developed through collaboration between the librarian and classroom teacher (who may themselves be of different cultures). These research projects help children to understand that the world is made up of interrelated people; that people must not be judged on appearance or background alone; and that individuals and their contributions to society are of primary importance. These projects encourage children to be more tolerant of others and to savour the rich diversity of the changing world culture.

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Further Thoughts About An American Dilemma

Worldview ◽

10.1017/s0084255900018957 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 15 (12) ◽

pp. 29-32

Author(s):

Gunnar Myrdal

Keyword(s):

Race Relations ◽

Social Economic ◽

Mathematical Problem ◽

Engineering Project ◽

American Dilemma ◽

Political Relations

I take this opportunity to correct at least a few lingering misunderstandings of my old book. I am sometimes asked whether race relations in America, rooted in centuries of tragic and often hideous history and still injecting its peculiar bias in all social, economic and political relations in the country, could be “resolved” like a mathematical problem or an engineering project. Even after another thirty years we will be living with it, though it will have altered. I do hope that changes will proceed more rapidly than in the last five or seven years and that they will more consistently move toward a greater fulfillment of American ideals and aspirations.

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