Cultural Incompetence

So, I don't want to say too much about cultural competence as it's taught in health care classes here because I'm liable to get myself into trouble, but, man, there are times when I miss the reflexive thinking and dialogue of anthropologists and sociologists.

Talking tonight over dinner about the abysmal presentation we've received thus far, The Partner pulled out that bone that's been stuck in my craw all week by pointing out the most obviously overlooked problem in discussing race and ethnic relations today: cultural competence means being tolerant of intolerance. So true. And so, so rare.

FYI: Our program is in the School of Nursing. In the School of Nursing also dwells, somewhere in the dark recesses of the Laurel Heights campus, the department of Social and Behavioral Sciences chaired by perhaps one of the most forethinking race theorists in the country. He offers a very critical and astute Race, Class and Gender course for doctoral students (also offered this year: Soc 236 Race/Class Factors in Health Care Delivery). It should be made available to master's nursing students, without question.