1. “Lessons Learned Teaching Difficult Subjects in Contentious Times”
Dr. Scott Fitzgerald
Department of Sociology
UNC Charlotte

2. Background: My Courses & Research
Ethical Issues: Poverty, Inequality and Justice (undergraduate)
Religion and the State (undergraduate)
Political Sociology (undergraduate and graduate)
Social Inequality (undergraduate and graduate)
Social Movements (undergraduate and graduate)
Research:
Religion, social movements, and economic inequality
Middle Class Meltdown in America

3. Background: My Approach
My pedagogical goals:
to provide the tools necessary for lifelong learning,
to cultivate intellectual curiosity, and
to demonstrate the relevance of sociological knowledge to understanding personal and societal issues.
Diversity and Inclusion
CLAS Diversity Coordinator
Departmental Diversity Liaisons
Interactivity Foundation
Importance of civil discourse
Facilitating conversations

4. Why should we try to have “difficult conversations?”
Private benefits of education
Public benefits of education
Civil discourse and democracy

5. Trends & Current Climate
Hardening of political discourse driven by the development of sound bite politics
Changing norms in news and social media discourages careful deliberation and efforts to search for greater understanding and common ground
Difficult discussions rarely take place
More often, we stake out our position and seek to defend it from the attacks of others.

6. Questions for all of us:
What role can higher education play in reversing these trends?
How can our courses and universities be structured to address these concerns?
What opportunities can we provide to cultivate civil discourse?

7. Setting the Stage for Constructive Discussions and Classroom Interactions
Things to think about as you are developing your course:
Positionality
Purpose
Preparation
Plan

8. Things to think about: Positionality Social status
Institutional/organizational status
Purpose
Discussion or debate?
Personal reflection or content mastery?

9. More things to think about:
Preparation
Creating classroom expectations

10. Syllabus e.g. Students’ Rights & Responsibilities (excerpt)
To complete all assigned readings and written assignments on time, to participate in class and small group discussions, and regularly attend class.
To be willing to question and confront ‘common knowledge’, stereotypes, and personal beliefs in order to think about the issues covered in the course in different ways.
To be respectful of your peers and the instructor (For example, while it is acceptable to challenge someone’s argument or position on an issue it is never acceptable to make personal attacks).

11. More things to think about:
Preparation
Creating classroom expectations
Modeling behaviors

12. More things to think about:
Preparation
Creating classroom expectations
Modeling behaviors
Plan
Assignments—scaffolding?
What if…?

13. Things to think about throughout the semester
Who is engaged and who is not?
Why?
Changes needed?

14. Setting the Stage for Constructive Discussions and Classroom Interactions
Things to think about as you are developing your course
Positionality
Purpose
Preparation
Plan
Things to think about throughout the semester
Who is engaged and who is not?
Why?
Changes needed?