The Public Conversations Project prevents and transforms conflicts driven by deep differences in identity, beliefs, or values.
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higher education
In Memory of Barnett Pearce
November 11, 2011 — I am sad to learn of the passing of Barnett Pearce, PhD, President of CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution and one of the giants of dialogue (pictured left).
The Dream on Campus: Dialogue
September 10, 2010—On the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, thousands of people were gathered on the national mall in Washington, DC engaging in polemic debate about the future of the country. That same day, a community in Alabama was taking a different approach to creating their dream.
Inviting Dialogue in Higher Education
August 26, 2010—What roles can dialogue play in higher education? Might it complement technology-oriented, job-training majors? Improve relationships between the dean’s office and student protesters, or striking unions and the president? What about dialogue’s role for physics majors, Latino community members, campus police, and tenure committees?
Shifting the Margins
“Let’s face it, nobody is going to give you tenure for having engaged the community in dialogue. So, why do it? It’s suicide on a university campus.”
“Yes, if you work on the margin, you’ll remain on the margin.”
Musings on “Getting to We”
A highlight for me at the "Inviting Dialogue" conference at Clark University was Patricia Romney's talk entitled, "Getting to We: Why Dialogue Matters in Higher Education," she identified three challenges for our field.
Dialogue: Why Now?
Dialogue and Higher Education
This week on Words That Matter, we will be featuring content from a recent conference put on by Clark University's Difficult Dialogues initiative in which the Public Conversations Project participated.
Dialogue and Higher Education—Jan. 7, 2010
We at the Public Conversations Project are excited about a new connection with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The AASCU is the leadership association of 430 American public colleges and universities. It promotes and supports institutions of public higher education by advocating for them and their students, offering program support for advancing academic quality and inclusion, and creating development opportunities for institutional leadership.
A Blog with a View—Nov. 24, 2009
Ever since I was introduced to the Public Conversations Project almost a decade ago, I have been influenced by its work. I have used it as a journalist, a community member, and most recently as a university lecturer. The profound notion that even as we argue for one side in a conflict, we often are holding some contradictory thoughts inside our head, has particularly stayed with me. The more that these hidden thoughts are recognized, surfaced, and respected, the better off I firmly believe we all will be.
