Some of the more specific intersections between character education and multicultural education are discussed here to further illustrate these general relationships. The explanations are developed primarily from the perspective of multicultural education. This emphasis seems reasonable since many of the other chapters in this volume deal in detail with character education from an individual perspective. The perspective of multicultural education complements and expands these other discussions. It also helps to dispel assumptions that character education and multicultural education are contradictory, incompatible, and inevitably contentious.

The intent of this chapter is to examine some features and manifestations of pluralism and unity in historical and contemporary contexts in order to (a) suggest perspectives and specific content for social studies curriculum materials and instructional practices, and (b) identify criteria for social studies programs that would help students deal constructively with pluralism-unity tensions and conflicts.