1. Navigating controversy
Ana Sucaldito

2. controversy What is it? What are respectful ways to disagree?
When can you disagree? Are you allowed to?

3. Debate, dialogue, discussion

4. Dialogue Suspend Judgment Listen Inquire
Explore Assumptions and don’t assume

5. How do you foster dialogue?
Safe space vs. brave space
Use “I statements”
Don’t assume that you know someone’s opinion/life/how their feeling/viewpoint
Be aware of your triggers

6. What’s a trigger?
Definition: something that an individual/organization/policy says or does that makes you feel diminished, offended, threatened, stereotyped, discounted, or attacked

7. Possible responses
Leaving, avoidance, denial, attack, shock, discussion, confrontation, confusion, discretion, etc.

8. Consider the following questions
Could this be a controversial situation? A triggering situation?
If so, do you think the trigger was intentional?
How might the triggered individual respond? What options do they have?

9. Scenario #1
Jonathon has had a rough transition into college and has recently been feeling incredibly anxious. He confides to his friend, Katie, that he’s thinking of going to Counseling and Consultation Services to talk. Katie responds “You’re going there? That’s for people with real issues. Come work out with me instead—it’ll keep your mind busy and help you get over it.”

10. Scenario #2
A follow student belittles your choice to be pre-med class. They claim that you’re wasting your time because most pre-med students take another tract later once they figure out “what they really want to do, instead of what their parents expect.”

11. Scenario #3
You’re walking across the oval when you see a gathering/protest (ex. graphic surgery pictures on the oval of late term abortions, a religious group preaching about atheism and same sex marriage, etc). You try to walk around, but the protesters approach you, give you papers describing their beliefs, and begin passionately explaining their viewpoints.

12. Scenario #4
Your classmate is super excited to be presenting in the Denman Research Forum! When the professor asks what the project is about, the class learns that your classmate has been researching the relationship between pictures and text in children’s literature for the past year and a half, working on the project throughout the school year and even in the summer. After the presentation, your professor says, “That’s nice. Next week, we’re going to have students from the URO come and talk about serious research.”