"Our current century is becoming increasingly characterized by persons of varying ethnic and racial and cultural backgrounds living together in societies all over the globe. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany, together with the United States and Brazil in the Americas, are only the better-known examples. How communities of common derivation maintain their sense of connectedness in lands of destination, while also forming ties with new groups and thus giving rise to novel social formations, is a primary facet of contemporary life. But such diversity is also a major challenge, often leading to tensions arising from ignorance and fear of the unknown. The formal inclusion of the histories and cultures of everyone in the society is therefore critical to resolving misunderstanding and conflict"--