The Civil Discourse Advisory Group, under the leadership of Provost Joy K. Ward, is dedicated to enhancing civil discourse at Case Western Reserve University. Composed of diverse members, the group focuses on advancing students' skills in active listening, empathetic understanding, and managing challenging conversations. They aim to foster respectful debate and mutual understanding on critical issues. Their work will support the university's mission of cultivating open-mindedness and critical thinking among students, both in and out of the classroom.
During the spring of 2024, the Advisory Group developed a list of 10 skills for engaging in civil discourse on campus and in the classroom.
Skill 1: Discourse Differentiation
Know the type of conversation in which you are participating. Depending on the medium, academic discussion, debate, dialogue, deliberation, and social media have different conversational structures, dynamics, purposes, audiences and impacts. Ensure all participants know how the medium and setting impact the aims and outcomes of the civil discourse they are engaging in and recognize that each approach has strengths and limitations based on the context.
Skill 2: Openness to Inquiry
Approach discourse with curiosity and an openness to new learning. Learning comes from expanding our comfort zones. Aim for being brave rather than being comfortable. Expect your worldview to be challenged and demonstrate respect and humility while challenging others. Consider more than two perspectives on an issue and remain open to questioning your own beliefs and assumptions before concluding. Remember that everyone is at a different place in their education and awareness; providing people with space, grace, and leniency while learning is crucial in a healthy academic environment.
Skill 3: Information Literacy
Productive civil discourse requires the ability to find, organize, evaluate, and communicate information. We are responsible for using reputable and diverse sources of information backed by research, critical thinking, and moral and ethical reasoning. In evaluating claims, it is important to assess the reliability and credibility of information sources, critically evaluate the strength of hypotheses and arguments, and challenge dogmatic perspectives. While an academic community must support the freedom to question and express varying points of view, not every perspective or conclusion meets the standards and values of academic inquiry.
Skill 4: Critical Thinking
Human problems are complex, and people bring a diversity of perspectives to discourse. Because of these complexities, nuance can be lost–reducing issues to oversimplistic, dogmatic bottom lines that can minimize difference and increase polarization. Critical thinking requires appreciating these dynamics and resisting the oversimplification of ideas. Academic inquiry includes avoiding binary thinking and searching for nuance and complexity.
Skill 5: Recognizing Perspective Limitations
Contribute to civil discourse as an individual and expect the same from others. A group representative can only speak on behalf of the group if they have been elected or appointed by the group to speak for them. No single person can speak on behalf of an identity group.
Skill 6: Effective Listening
Effective listening requires demonstrating respect to another person by listening to learn, understand, and recognize values. Effective listening advances essential components to positive discourse.
Skill 7: Empathetic Communication
Empathy entails the ability to understand and relate to others. Empathetic communication is an important determinant of how well we communicate with each other. How your point is delivered is as important as the point itself. Practice self-regulation even as you share personal experiences and express yourself with strong emotions. Recognize the implications of your speech and the points you share, including the potential for harm. Remember that you are a member of an academic community and are responsible for being respectful and demonstrating care for all community members.
Skill 8: Constructive Disagreement
Institutions of higher learning have a duty to cultivate constructive disagreement; disagreement is neither good nor bad. Every campus community member contributes a unique value and viewpoint given their roles, identities, worldviews, and responsibilities. Collective agreement is not always achievable or desirable. Therefore, the quality of constructive disagreement depends on whether parties are respectful, open to listening, and whether they rely on sound rational arguments.
Skill 9: Conflict De-escalation
Evaluate situations to identify if oneself or others are ready to enter civil discourse, or whether self-regulation, co-regulation, support, interpersonal support, or leaving the situation are more appropriate initial steps in that moment.
Skill 10: Conflict Management
Normalize the process of participating in civil discourse. Disagreement and conflict are a normal and continuous part of life. Engaging in civil discourse and managing conflict are essential skills in modern society.
Representatives of this advisory group include:
- Bryan Adamson, the David L. Brennan Chaired Professor of Law and associate dean of diversity, School of Law
- Jonathan Adler, the Johan Verheij Memorial Professor of Law and director of the Coleman P. Burke Center for Environmental Law, School of Law
- Mark Aulisio, the Susan E. Watson Professor and chair, Department of Bioethics, School of Medicine; and professor, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
- Katie Brancato, vice president, chief of staff, and strategic advisor to the president, Office of the President
- Shannon French, director and Inamori Professor in Ethics, Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence; professor, Department of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences; and professor, School of Law
- Ayesha Hardaway, director and research coordinator, Social Justice Institute; and professor of law and director of the Social Justice Law Center, School of Law
- Greg Harris, assistant vice president for student affairs and senior associate dean of students in the Division of Student Affairs
- Andrea Hauser, assistant provost for strategic initiatives and special advisor, Office of the Provost
- Maysan Haydar, assistant professor, Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences
- Anna Maria Hibbs, professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine
- Justine Howe, associate professor and chair, Department of Religious Studies, and director of the women’s and gender studies program, College of Arts and Sciences
- Ramez Islambouli, full-time lecturer of Arabic, Department of Religious Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
- Kenneth Ledford, Hiram C. Haydn Professor in History, Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences; and associate professor of law, School of Law
- Barbara Mann, Stephen H. Hoffman Professor of Modern Hebrew, Department of Modern Languages & Literatures, College of Arts and Sciences
- Danny Manor, professor and vice chair, Department of Nutrition, and professor, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine; and member of the Molecular Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Peter Giano Poulos, vice president, general counsel, secretary of the corporation, and chief risk management officer, Office of General Counsel
- Deepak Sarma, professor, Department of Religious Studies, College of Arts and Sciences; and professor, Department of Bioethics, School of Medicine
- Peter Shulman, associate provost for curriculum and Elizabeth and Raymond Armington Associate Professor, Department of History, College of Art and Sciences
- Robert Solomon, vice president, Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Engagement
- Glenn Starkman, Distinguished University Professor and vice chair, Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences
- Camille Warner, associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
- Aaron Weinberg, chair and professor, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Dental Medicine; professor, Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Pathology, School of Medicine; and member, Population and Cancer Prevention Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Travis Apgar, vice president for student affairs