Bradley Clough’s Advantages of Multicultural Learning

Posted by Bradley Clough on May 15th, 2019

Bradley Clough is an established and highly respected teacher and scholar who most recently worked at the University of Montana. A renowned authority in Asian religious and cultural studies with over 25 years of experience, he is passionate about teaching religious traditions that are practiced by multiple Asian countries from ancient to modern times. Clough has a strong attachment to this field because of his own fascination with the culture in India and Sri Lanka. However, he also believes that the study of multicultural traditions and cultures provides opportunities for growth among American youth.

Greater Sense of Understanding

Clough believes that today’s world is paradoxically interconnected, but also deeply conflicted. He is aware of current world developments and growing tensions between different countries and cultures. According to him, students who develop knowledge of cultural traditions from nations other than the United States can learn to understand people different from themselves and combat ignorance and bigotry. Multicultural education not only increases the knowledge that students hold in general, but it has the potential to dismantle the barriers of fear and misconceptions that hold back human beings from collaborating with one another and creating new advances and achievements.

Professional Development

In addition to increased multicultural understanding, Clough believes that a study of several cultures and traditions from other countries around the world can enrich the career paths of students, particularly those studying sciences such as economics. People hoping to start a career in business will likely deal with businesspeople from other countries, and to establish strong relationships, they should attempt to understand their partners’ cultural philosophies and traditions. Clough specifically cites India and China as two prominent countries with growing economic power that have a presence in the American economy as well. No matter what career path a student chooses, the study of other cultures provides a great advantage.

Opportunity for Unique Experiences

Beyond creating greater empathy among groups of people and the practical uses of multicultural learning in career paths, Clough also shares that studying other countries and their traditions provides for unique experiences, such as study abroad. The associate professor relates to his own career, where his fascination with India and Sri Lanka allowed him to stay in those countries for long periods. Students who visit these places will obtain unique experiences that they wouldn’t receive anywhere else and may not have another chance to explore. Even if some of these students do not explore anywhere else outside of the U.S., Bradley Clough  hopes that they at least have some memorable and fun experiences.