Understanding Intolerance and Multiculturalism

Abstract

The study of youth development urges a consideration of context, yet rarely are "intolerance" and "multiculturalism" posed as major research variables. This article offers a conceptualframework to identify the daily interpersonal and organizationalprocesses through which intolerance is directed at young people, affecting their exposure to ongoing developmental supports and opportunities. This article draws on data collected from the experiences of individuals attending workshops devoted to multiculturalism and diversity to present three typologies for understanding the processes inherent in subtle, yet powerful, forms of intolerance. These typologies are (a) forms of interpersonal intolerance, (b) fonns of responses to interpersonal intolerance, and (c) forms of organizational orientations to multiculturalism. In the conclusion, research implications of the proposed typologies are discussed in terms of "maps of' phenomena that researchers are likely to discove, and "maps for" thinking about the nature of these forms and the possible ways they might be addressed in future research.