Organizing and Conducting GOOD Discussions through Dialogue Ratnesh Nagda School of Social Work

WELCOME!! Welcome and Overview of session 3 critical questions for us: What does a GOOD discussion feel like? What is dialogue and intergroup dialogue? How do we organize for effective dialogues?

AN EXPANDED DEFINITION OF INTERGROUP DIALOGUE A social justice approach to dialogue… foregrounds both societal power relations of domination- subordination, and the creative possibilities for engaging and working with and across these differences. Cultural differences are contextualized in historical and existant social power relations. The approach aims to move beyond seeing these differences as divisive, and to collectively generate newer ways of being powerful without perpetuating social inequalities, and building bridges for social change. Such an approach, therefore, can be used in mixed groups that are not defined along any particular social identities but allows for a consideration of different social positionalities.

UW INTERGROUP DIALOGUE INITIATIVE Call for more courses focusing on racial and ethnic diversity Failed attempts to pass undergraduate requirement Innovations at departmental levels Demands from students for more substantive and meaningful engagement with issues of diversity and social justice Current initiative FIGs, Gateway courses, Early Fall Start Student and faculty leadership development On-going curriculum development, research and evaluation

3 CRITICAL IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION & DIALOGUE Analytical and Knowledge Lens Integration of multiple sources of knowledge, and conceptual and theoretical frameworks Conditions for discussion and dialogue Characteristics of learning environment that can provide meaningful participation and engagement (cognitive and affective) Processes for discussion and dialogue Learning, communication and interaction processes that can enable invigorating, respectful, honest and challenging reflection and dialogue

DIALOGUE… or DEBATE Dialogue Debate collaborative win-win listening to understand introspection searches for strengths open-ended connection Dialogue oppositional win-lose listen to find flaws critique close-minded search for weaknesses separation Debate

WHAT IS DIALOGIC COMMUNICATION? An exchange of perspectives, experiences, and beliefs in which people speak and listen openly and respectfully. . . . In dialogue, participants speak as unique individuals about their own beliefs and experiences, reveal their uncertainties as well as certainties, and try to understand one another.

WHAT IS DIALOGIC COMMUNICATION? … a two-way communication … seeks to ensure clarity in understanding … strives to build on the on-going conversation instead of introducing completely different topics … searches for the different threads in the group discussion—similarities, differences, different levels, modes, and other ways of relating ideas … affirming and supportive … challenging

BUILDING BLOCKS OF DIALOGUE Suspension of judgment Active(Deep) Listening Reflection & Inquiry Identifying Assumptions

SUSPENSION OF JUDGMENT… * Developing an openness * Being aware of our judgments * Holding them softly so you can hear the other person

DEEP LISTENING… * Paying attention * Focusing on the moment * Not getting lost in our own head trips

IDENTIFYING ASSUMPTIONS… *Peeling an onion to get to different levels of understanding * Making assumptions explicit * Being aware of what we don’t say because of our assumptions

REFLECTION AND INQUIRY… *Inquiry, coming up with questions based on your reflection * Inner reflection * Being clear what it means to you * Slowing down, taking in what’s been said, thinking through

What is your responsibility as a discussion leader/ facilitator to foster a climate related to each building block?

SPIRAL MODEL OF ACTIVE LEARNING 5. Apply in action… 4. Strategize next steps, practice skills, plan for actions 2: Look for patterns and themes 1: Start with experiences of participants 3: Add new information and theory, readings, analogies