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Difference Matters

Communicating Social Identity

Brenda J. Allen

Many types of organizations recognize that they need to consider diverse groups to be competitive and achieve success. Dealing effectively with difference and embracing it as a positive force, rather than something to be shunned or feared, can help organizations achieve their goals. There are no clear-cut prescriptions for addressing issues related to difference, but Allen’s innovative, interactive approach to presenting matters of difference clearly spells out how constructions of social identities have impacted members of dominant and nondominant groups. Her exploration of social identity categories and how discourse has affected our perceptions of others, and her focus on organizations to illustrate her points, opens the door to understanding and valuing difference as a positive, enriching feature of society. This text is very user-friendly and includes questions at the end of each chapter to stimulate reflection, critical thinking, recognition, and an awareness of possibilities for change. Ideas and resources for teaching difference matters can be found here.
 

$24.95 list, 253  pages

10-digit ISBN: 1-57766-304-7

13-digit ISBN: 978-1-57766-304-1

© 2004

“This is a splendid book, and the Web site to support it is quite helpful. Difference Matters provides instructors who care about difference matters with an excellent ‘road map’ of how to teach them. Bravo!”  — Julia T. Wood, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

“Last semester my students challenged me to find a book that speaks to them—they are a diverse group and Difference Matters certainly speaks to them.”  — Margarita Olivas, California State University, Northridge

“Great topic and wonderful synthesis by Allen on why race matters in the United States.”   — Deborah Burgess, University of Colorado, Denver

“Allen does a great job of incorporating timely issues of diversity into the discussion of organizational communication.”   — Regina Spellers, Western Michigan University

“This text helps undergraduate students see the linkage between traditional interpersonal communication literature and applied organizational communication issues. Great text!”  — Stephen Cox, Murray State University

Table of Contents

1. Difference and Other Important Matters

Difference Matters / Communicating Social Identity / Organizations / About Me / Overview of the Book

2. Power Matters

Conceptions of Power / Control in Organizations / Communicating Power

3. Gender Matters

What Is Gender and Why Does It Matter? / Constructing Gender in the United States / Gender and Divisions of Labor / Communicating Gender: The Role of Education / Power Dynamics and Gender / Communicating Gender in Organizations

4. Race Matters

What Is Race? / Why Race Matters / Constructing Race in the United States / Race and Labor / Communicating Race in Organizations

5. Social Class Matters

What Is Social Class? / Why Social Class Matters / Constructing Social Class in the United States / The Myth of a Classless Society / Social Class and Labor / Communicating Social Class in Organizations

6. Sexuality Matters

What Is Sexuality and Why Does It Matter? / Constructing Sexuality in the United States / Communicating Sexuality in Organizations

7. Ability Matters

Why Ability Matters / What Is Disability? / Constructing Disability in the United States / Interability Communication / Interability Interactions in Organizations

8. Age Matters

What Is Age? / Why Age Matters / Constructing Age in the United States / Understanding Intergenerational Communication / Communicating Age in Organizations

9. Communicating Social Identity

Social Identities Are Social Constructions / Power Matters / Communication Rules! / Recommendations