Deliberative Dialogues
The Center for Civic Engagement is excited to offer Deliberative Dialogues on campus!
Deliberative Dialogues are guided conversations on a political or controversial topic. This model of conversation removes polarizing positions and one-sided lectures by simply asking participants to investigate specific solutions to an issue through the help of an issue guide and facilitator. Center staff, along with faculty/staff across campus, and students, have been trained to facilitate dialogues for classes, student organizations, and University groups/departments.
By participating in a Deliberative Dialogue, participants can learn skills to express their own perspectives while also listening to the perspectives of others (important civic skills). Participants can also learn how to have conversations on difficult and complex topics.
Dialogue topics
The Center uses the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) model of deliberative dialogues. NIFI outcomes are:
- Deeper understanding of issues and tensions within it
- Insight/awareness of different views
- Starting point for citizen action (individually & collectively)
- Learn about the issue
- Improve democratic skills/attitudes
Explore Dialogue topics from NIFI
Request a Dialogue
The Center offers Deliberative Dialogues as a free experience to the campus community. Any faculty/staff member or student group can request a Dialogue.
A dialogue is optimally two hours long; if you're interested in holding a dialogue for a non-class group, we recommend setting aside this amount of time. A full dialogue can also be hosted in a 75 minute class period if the instructor shares the guide and requires students to read it in advance. If class periods are 50 minutes, Dialogues will need to be spread out over two consecutive class periods.
The Center has identified the following outcomes for students who participate in a Deliberative Dialogue:
As a result of the dialogue students will be will be able to:
- Express appreciation and empathy of another person’s perspective on the issue
- Learn something new after hearing and considering another person’s viewpoint
- Analyze the issue from multiple perspectives
- Evaluate skills need to participate in deliberation
Please submit your request at least three weeks/fifteen business days in advance.
Request a dialogue for your class or organization
Student Deliberative Dialogue Facilitators
In fall 2021 the Center launched the Student Deliberative Dialogue Facilitator program to help with increased demand for Dialogues across campus. The program also offers leadership and dialogue experience for the student facilitators. Learn more about this amazing program.
The Center is relying on donations to fund this program into the next academic year. If you would like to help ensure the future of the Student Deliberative Dialogue Facilitator program, please consider making a contribution to the Center.