Samenvatting

Diversity implies variety. Diversity refers to the differences between people. Visible aspects – such as
age, skin colour, gender, disability – and less or non-visible aspects such as cultural and social
background, skills and competencies, and style of working. If you can handle diversity, you will be
able to handle different kinds of people. The concept of ‘equality’ can be seen as opposite from the
concept of ‘diversity’. Dutch society can be characterized as a culture of equality. Due to increasing
diversity it is argued this culture of equality will eventually turn out to be unfavourable. A culture of
diversity is reasoned to be an inevitable alternative. A first exploration of the characteristics of such a
culture and its significance for the work of the Social Worker is being done at present.