AMERICA! by Michael Dougherty Used under CC license: Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
guide to civil discourse
Discuss across divides to better understand each other and the issues so together we can build a more perfect union.
In an increasingly divided country, we often retreat to our separate corners and block out political “others.” This makes it hard to understand not only different political opinions but also the people behind them. Here you can break out of your filter bubble and listen, be heard, and converse with the other side in a respectful way.
If you are a teacher or student, start at AllSidesForSchools.org to see special programs, tools and lesson plans to bring respectful conversations to your classroom. Our programs address media literacy, develop skills in collaborative problem solving and critical thinking, increase civic engagement, and provide social emotional learning.
How can you have a respectful, engaging conversation with someone with different opinions and beliefs? How can you participate in civil discourse or engage in responsible free speech? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Listen First to Understand
Civil discourse starts with listening. It is tempting to jump in to be sure that the other person knows what you think and feel, but when everyone is trying to be heard, no one is listening. It’s not possible to discuss across divides without listening first, and that starts with me. And when the other person sees that you are truly listening, they will start listening too. Take the pledge below and learn more about the Listen First Project .
In an increasingly divided country, we often retreat to our separate corners and block out political “others.” This makes it hard to understand not only different political opinions but also the people behind them. Here you can break out of your filter bubble and listen, be heard, and converse with the other side in a respectful way.
If you are a teacher or student, start at AllSidesForSchools.org to see special programs, tools and lesson plans to bring respectful conversations to your classroom. Our programs address media literacy, develop skills in collaborative problem solving and critical thinking, increase civic engagement, and provide social emotional learning.
How can you have a respectful, engaging conversation with someone with different opinions and beliefs? How can you participate in civil discourse or engage in responsible free speech? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Listen First to Understand
Civil discourse starts with listening. It is tempting to jump in to be sure that the other person knows what you think and feel, but when everyone is trying to be heard, no one is listening. It’s not possible to discuss across divides without listening first, and that starts with me. And when the other person sees that you are truly listening, they will start listening too. Take the pledge below and learn more about the Listen First Project .
"I WILL LISTEN FIRST TO UNDERSTAND and consider another's views before sharing my own. I will prioritize respect and understanding in conversation. And I will encourage others to do the same."
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Bonus Step: Explore Other Perspectives
This is often a great and sometimes necessary step to understanding other people. The same word can mean different things to different people. Controversial terms, from "abortion" to "Zionism", tend to shut down dialog because they mean different things to different people. Until we fully understand what a term means to someone else, we don't know the issue and can't effectively communicate with people different than us.
The AllSides Dictionary helps anyone understand how others see important political terms so we can more easily understand each other.
This is often a great and sometimes necessary step to understanding other people. The same word can mean different things to different people. Controversial terms, from "abortion" to "Zionism", tend to shut down dialog because they mean different things to different people. Until we fully understand what a term means to someone else, we don't know the issue and can't effectively communicate with people different than us.
The AllSides Dictionary helps anyone understand how others see important political terms so we can more easily understand each other.
Step 2: Pick a proven model for a respectful conversation
There are many ways to have a great conversation with someone else. Sometimes it doesn't seem that way because all we see on TV and online are the worst examples of dialogue. But in fact you have many options. So pick one that is best for you.
There are many ways to have a great conversation with someone else. Sometimes it doesn't seem that way because all we see on TV and online are the worst examples of dialogue. But in fact you have many options. So pick one that is best for you.
Mismatch.org
Sign up, answer a few questions about yourself, and get matched with another person across the country for a guided conversation via a free video conferencing service. |
Living Room Conversations
Recruit a co-host who has a different opinion on a topic. Each of you invite two others. Then meet in a living room, church, school, community meeting place — you decide — for a guided, respectful conversation where you will discover differences, commonalities, and shared values. |
ConsiderIt
Write and share your opinions and stances on some issues, and hear from others in the AllSides community. Pick arguments that you think are best and add them to your own position. We are experimenting with this platform - it is a test - try it and send us feedback. |
Bridge Alliance
There are many ways to participate in civil discourse, respectful free speech and bridge divides. The Bridge Alliance has over 80 member organizations devoted to bridging divides, and that includes many ways for having great conversations across divides. |
Divided We Fall (Docu-Series)
Divided We Fall is a television docu-series created to match the challenges Americans are now experiencing in our political and public discourse. We were inspired to prove on camera: despite profound divisions, Americans are hungry to connect and bridge the divides. Americans want to talk with and listen to each other. Americans want the core of our democratic experiment– "We the People” to succeed.
Over 48 hours on set, twelve individuals faced a series of topics and exercises regarding what it means to be an American, the challenges facing our country, and their ideas for achieving a “more perfect union.” The participants include an equal number of men and women and equal number that strongly approve and disapprove of President Trump.
Watch the official trailer below:
Over 48 hours on set, twelve individuals faced a series of topics and exercises regarding what it means to be an American, the challenges facing our country, and their ideas for achieving a “more perfect union.” The participants include an equal number of men and women and equal number that strongly approve and disapprove of President Trump.
Watch the official trailer below:
Links & Further Reading
Background Reading on Healthy Conversations and Overcoming Divides
Taken from the Living Room Conversations website
Taken from the Living Room Conversations website
- Ten reasons to spend time with your political opposite (Huffington Post)
- It isn’t easy being civil, but here are some important tips (Independent Voter Project)
- Effective communication: barriers and strategies (University of Waterloo)
- Twelve tips for handling difficult conversations (Amex Open Forum)
- Agreeing to disagree: The difference between talking at and talking with someone else (Psychology Today)
- Conversation, argument, and civility (AmericanThinker.com)
- How diversity makes us smarter (Scientific American)
- The need for dialogue (Beyond Intractability)
Recommended Websites
From AllSides for schools
From AllSides for schools
Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Ballotpedia’s goal is to inform people about politics by providing accurate and objective information about politics at all levels of government. Ballotpedia is firmly committed to neutrality in its content. ballotpedia |
Heterodox Academy
Heterodox Academy is a politically diverse group of more than 2,300 professors and graduate students who have come together to improve the quality of research and education in universities by increasing viewpoint diversity, mutual understanding, and constructive disagreement. heterodox academy |
Bridge Alliance
Bridge Alliance is a diverse coalition of more than 90 respected established organizations committed to revitalizing democratic practice in America. The Bridge Alliance aims to create great impact across three broad areas: civic engagement, governance and policymaking, and campaign and election processes. bridge alliance |
National Conversation Project
National Conversation Project—an overarching collaborative platform powered by 150+ organizations—is designed to reach farther and impact greater than any one organization by aggregating, aligning, and amplifying the many conversation efforts already underway while welcoming more Americans into conversations. National Conversation Project promotes National Weeks of Conversation, #ListenFirst Fridays, and any conversation inviting people to revitalize America together. national conversation project |
Bridge the Divide
Bridge the Divide is a political initiative that seeks to promote political conversation amongst youth in a time of great divide in both American and global political affairs. Bridge the Divide works to unite politically active students who desire to create change in the world by stimulating conversation in a productive and respectful manner. bridge the divide |
Newsela
Newsela is an education technology startup dedicated to transforming the way learners access the world through words. Newsela publishes high-interest news articles daily at five levels of complexity for grades 2-12 using Newsela’s proprietary, rapid text-leveling process. Quizzes attached to articles provide real-time insight into reading strengths and weaknesses. newsela |
Empatico
Empatico empowers teachers and students to explore the world through experiences that spark curiosity, kindness, and empathy. Empatico combine live video with activities designed to foster meaningful connections among students ages 7-11. empatico |
Open Mind Platform
OpenMind is a psychology-based educational platform designed to depolarize campuses, companies, organizations, and communities. OpenMind helps people foster intellectual humility and mutual understanding, while equipping them with the essential cognitive skills to engage constructively across differences. open mind platform |
Facing History
Facing History’s mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice, and antisemitism in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry. By studying history, students make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their own lives. facing history |
ProCon.org
ProCon.org provides professionally-researched pro, con, and related information on more than 50 controversial issues from gun control and death penalty to illegal immigration and alternative energy. Using the fair, free, and unbiased resources at ProCon.org, millions of people each year learn new facts, think critically about both sides of important issues, and strengthen their minds and opinions. procon.org |
iCivics
iCivics exists to engage students in meaningful civic learning, by providing teachers with well-written, inventive, and free resources that enhance their practice and inspire their classrooms. iCivics is reimagining civic education for future generations, helping young people to grow more informed, more curious, and more engaged in civic life. icivics |
Stanford History Education Group
If young people are not prepared to critically evaluate the information that bombards them online, they are apt to be duped by false claims and misleading arguments. To help teachers tackle teaching these critical skills, SHEG has developed assessments of civic online reasoning — the ability to judge the credibility of the information that floods young people’s smartphones, tablets, and computer screens. stanford history education group |
Living Room Conversations
Living Room Conversations are a conversational bridge across issues that divide and separate people. They provide an easy structure for engaging in friendly yet meaningful conversation with those with whom we may not agree. These conversations increase understanding, reveal common ground, and sometimes even allow people to discuss possible solutions. living room conversations |
TableTalk Global
Now on 50+ campuses, TableTalk Global is dedicated to preparing students to thrive in our diverse society by having face-to-face conversations about topics that matter. The curriculum provides students with leadership opportunities as well as social and emotional learning skills, and is designed to make every student feel valued, heard, and understood. tabletalk global |
Harvard National Civic Education Infrastructure
The National Civic Education Infrastructure’s conviction is that a shared national conversation about a diverse and flexible system of civic education, supported by a robust civic education infrastructure, is a necessity for ensuring the health and durability of our democracy. harvard civic ed |