Definitions

 1. Affluence = wealthy.
Abu Dhabi is an example of an affluent society/The opposite of affluence is poverty.

2.  Ethnicity = is determined by factors such as race, religion and language.

Your ethnicity is determined by factors such as race, religion, language.

3.  Ability= skill.

He has the ability to get very high grades.

4.  Diversity = the quality of being different.

This course is about cultural diversity, which means people of different cultures living and working together.

5.  Assimilation = absorption

Cultural assimilation is the process whereby a minority group gradually adapts to the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture and customs.

6.  Demographics = composition of a population.

The demographics of the UAE are discussed in our first post. You can analyze demographics according to race, religion, age, wealth, etc.

7.  Religion = a set of beliefs.

Religious people try to live according to the teachings of their religion.

8.  Race = a group of people with similarities, particularly physical appearance.
9.  Multiculturalism = many different cultures.
A multicultural society is one where people of different cultural backgrounds live and work together.

10. Personality = individual character.

She has a very nice personality: kind, patient, tolerant and loving.

11. Prejudice = bias.

Apartheid in S. Africa was based on racial prejudice against black people.

12. Acculturation = the mixing of different cultures.

13. Bias = prejudice.

Bias is a negative opinion of a person or group based on race, color, culture etc.

14. Discrimination = treating people differently.

Apartheid meant discrimination in favor of whites and against blacks.

15. Fringe = edge, margin

A fringe group is a small minority, usually expressing an extreme opinion.

16. Population = the number of people. 

A census is a count of the number of people in a country.

17. Stereotype = making assumption or generalizations about a person or a group if people.

Americans are rich, while Mexicans are poor.

18. Gender

There are two genders, male and female.

19. Resistance = opposition.

There have been many signs of political resistance to establish governments in the Arab spring of this spring.

20. Advantage = a favored position.

If you are an expatriate, being able to speak the local language is a big advantage.

21. Racism = hatred of another person or group of different race, often based on color.

The apartheid system in S. Africa was an example of racism.

22. Ethics = morality, i.e., what is right or wrong.

Ethical behavior is honest behavior.

23. Productivity = the ability to produce something.

The company's productivity rates are rising.

24. Behavior = manner of acting/conduct.

The student's behavior is very good.

25. Belief = confidence.

I have great belief in her/Tibetans believe in re- incarnation.

26. Majority = most.

The vast majority of Arabs are Muslim.

27. Income = salary.

All employees have a monthly income.

28. Adverse = bad, or harmful.

We didn't go on a picnic because of the adverse weather conditions.

29. Values = beliefs.

I value honesty very highly.

30. Traditions = customs.

They are handed down from generations to generations.

31. Generation = group of people born at about the same time.

In some societies people talk about a generation gap; each generation has its own ideal & standards.

32. Sensitivity = empathy, awareness of someone else's feelings.

She’s very sensitive, she cares about how other people feel.

33. Slang = slightly improper language.

Have a shufti at my blog.

34. Ethnocentrism = seeing everything from viewpoint of view.

An ethnocentric viewpoint is narrow and limited.

35. Stratification = rigid division of society.

The Indian caste system is an example of social stratification.

36. Socio-cultural = relating to society and culture.

37. Resident = someone living in a particular place

Khalid, Aziz and Hedley are all Abu Dhabi residents.

38. Poverty = being poor.

The opposite of poverty is affluence or wealth.

39. Nationality = the country you belong to.

You can have different race or ethnicity but the same nationality.

40. Minority = less than half,

Christian is a minority of the UAE’s population.

41. Class = group.

You can have upper class , middle class and lower class. 

42. Globalization = worldwide connectivity. 

Global brands or logos today are recognized worldwide; we all know the logos of Nike, McDonald, Mercedes etc. 

43. Virtual = not real, imaginary. 

Computer games create a virtual world which is not real. 

44. Barriers = obstacle. 

To make progress you have to climb over or go round or go through barriers.

  

Blindsight

Cultural Diversity: in the story there are a group of kids who were blind from Tibet whose religion is Buddhist , which their tribes and religion see as a cursed people who had done bad things in their lives; it is as a punishment for them but they are trying to overcome the situation of being handicapped; the hate, discrimination, stereotyping and racism has got a hold on the people; the kids who got beat up for not achieving the proper money budgets and the kid who’s Chinese is being burnt all over his body with the cigarettes. A German lady and some of her friends from America, gave the opportunity for some blind kids in Tibet, to climb Mountain Everest; this is where the cultural diversity collided and helped them to reach the capability and challenges to reach their goal; they are being trained in how to climb and they face excessive challenges; the other thing is that oxygen is getting lower every time they go higher. While they are on their path to the top, they somehow failed to reach their goal because of the lack of oxygen, but they were proud of what they have done learning the English language, and their confidence got lifted up and they were appreciated and hoping to start life in a new fresh start.