This captivating book analyzes six salient categories of social identity (gender, race, social class, disability, sexuality, and age) and why difference within and between those categories matter. Brenda J. Allen provides overviews of sociohistorical developments and their impact on how people perceive and treat one another. She explains how communication constitutes social identity and explores relationships among social identity, discourse, and power dynamics. 
Allen's book has motivated thousands of individuals in university classes/programs and a variety of other organizations. She offers life-changing guidance in harnessing the potential of diverse perspectives—whether to improve interpersonal relationships and workplace communication or to build a more just society. Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity invites and induces readers to value and appreciate difference. Allen covers complex and sensitive topics with an ease that inspires others to approach potentially threatening situations with an open mind and heart. Her frank discussions of the effects of dominant belief systems on her own behaviors encourage and reassure the audience to engage in self-reflection. 
Difference matters to everyone. Establishing meaningful dialogue begins with curiosity about differing perspectives, empathy for others, and cultural humility. Allen addresses the uncertainty and anxiety too often connected with difference, advises mindfulness to reveal the hidden associations connected with stereotypes, and urges proactivity to challenge and change mainstream meanings of difference. She also provides tools and techniques to help readers apply lessons learned. 
Not-for-sale instructor resource material available to college and university faculty only; contact publisher directly. 
Title of related interest also available from Waveland Press: Orbe-Harris, Interracial Communication: Theory into Practice, Fourth Edition (ISBN 13 9781478649366).

Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity, Third Edition

Education & Teaching

Brenda J. Allen

Schools & Teaching

Waveland Press. Inc.

Allen's proven ability and flare for presenting complex and oftentimes sensitive topics in nonthreatening ways carry over in the latest edition of Difference Matters. Her down-to-earth analysis of six social identity categories reveals how communication establishes and enacts identity and power dynamics. She provides historical overviews to show how perceptions of gender, race, social class, sexuality, ability, and age have varied throughout time and place. Allen clearly explains pertinent theoretical perspectives and illustrates those and other discussions with real-life experiences (many of which are her own). She also offers practical guidance for how to communicate difference more humanely. While many examples are from organizational contexts, readers from a wide range of backgrounds can relate to them and appreciate their relevance. The second edition includes updated statistics, recent research, and examples from contemporary events in the United States.

Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity

Politics & Social Sciences

Sociology

Waveland Pr Inc.

4CD-rom disk in used but good condition. Comes with authorization code

Public Speaking

Jess K. Alberts

Dan West

Business & Money

Thinkwell

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Books by Brenda J. Allen