Harvard Dialogues

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Harvard University is dedicated to fostering a culture of constructive dialogue and building bridges across differences. Learn more about recent efforts below.

harvard’s commitment

Report on Open Inquiry and Constructive Dialogue

In spring 2024, the鈥燨pen Inquiry and Constructive Dialogue Working Group was convened to explore the question of how best to reinforce and nurture a culture of open inquiry and constructive dialogue 黑料专区. In October 2024, the group released its report and recommendations to reinforce the free exchange of ideas, rigorous discourse, and empathy for all members of our learning communities.

News

鈥楾ruth is rarely found in echo chambers鈥�

Faculty, staff, and students explore what it takes to connect across difference at Community and Campus Life forum

Of different faiths, but connected by belief

Community members gather to explore identity, spiritual experience at first 鈥楢cross This Table鈥� interfaith dinner

鈥極ur students are seeking not just to coexist, but to understand鈥�

8 projects win Building Bridges grants to spark constructive dialogue on campus

Building momentum on open inquiry

Schools implement recommendations to foster more, better conversations on tough topics around campus

At inaugural 鈥楥amp Cura,鈥� students tackle controversial health issues with an open mind

Summer learning intensive sees Harvard Chan students work in groups to research and discuss some of the day鈥檚 most hotly debated health topics

Funding available for student-led projects promoting dialogue, engagement across difference

Now in its second year, PBBF seeks to fund projects that foster a culture of pluralism on campus and enable鈥痵tudents鈥痶o develop the skills鈥痭ecessary to respect, relate, and鈥痗ooperate across difference

Projects help students 鈥榖uild bridges鈥� across differences

Online games and small group discussions provide opportunities for people with contrasting points of view to engage

Social media fueled divisions. Teaming up may help heal.

Study finds pairing members of opposing parties on the same side to compete in specially designed quiz eases partisanship

Leading learners through loaded conversations

With support from Harvard鈥檚 Bok Center, graduate student teachers make classrooms a place for open inquiry, constructive dialogue

Student-led projects tackle campus divisions

Presidential initiative backs efforts to encourage, facilitate constructive dialogue

Keeping cool when debate turns hot

Inaugural global Ethics Center conference features scholarship, presentations on fostering civil, productive dialogue

Key to healing riven communities? Getting people together.

Campus rabbi, imam work to ease pain in their groups caused by Israel-Hamas war, model power of personal ties

Looking back on successes, challenges of new Civil Discourse initiative

Eric Beerbohm shares strategies for productive disagreement and previews the initiative鈥檚 next generation of programming.

A blueprint for better conversations

After months of listening and learning, open inquiry co-chairs detail working group鈥檚 recommendations

Harvard University announces two new professorships in civil discourse

The professorships will support faculty members whose research and teaching focuses on civil discourse and dialogue, and who are able to foster students鈥� ability to engage in meaningful dialogue.

鈥楽ocial media has a responsibility 鈥� to make it as easy as possible for people to be their best selves online鈥�

A daylong conference hosted by Harvard鈥檚 Applied Social Media Lab focused on strategies for fostering healthier, more satisfying civil discourse online

Ongoing initiatives in constructive dialogue

Centers and initiatives

Interfaith Engagement Initiative

Grant and fellowship programs

President's Building Bridges Fund

Resources

InFocus: Dialogue Across Differences

Other recent events

A look back at events and discussions designed to foster a climate of constructive dialogue

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2024 HILT Conference, “Open Minds in Dialogue”

HILT鈥檚 thirteenth annual HILT Conference, held on September 20, 2024, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, explored open inquiry and demonstrated the ways in which engaging in constructive dialogues are essential to teaching, learning, and research.

Askwith Education Forum Explores How to Bridge Differences with Universal Dignity

U.S. Special Olympics chair and UNITE co-founder Tim Shriver highlighted ways to improve communication and rhetoric by choosing dignity over contempt

Dialogue & Action Series

This spring 2024 series featured conversations among colleagues from across nine Massachusetts universities in the spirit of tackling difficult issues and modeling constructive dialogue.

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Spring series at HDS explores 鈥榣ove鈥� across difference

In spring 2024, the Harvard Divinity School community explored the ways love is understood and practiced across different faith traditions.

Safra Center: Civil Disagreements Series

鈥楬arvard Dialogues鈥� taps power of respectful debate

Held in January 2024, this week of programming was designed to help students, faculty, and others engage in candid conversations on tough topics

Free Speech, Political Speech, and Hate Speech on Campus

Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s interdisciplinary panel to discuss the purposes and scope of academic freedom and the legal norms that govern how universities respond to conflict and protest

Stepping into the hot center

Tarek Masoud鈥檚鈥楳iddle East Dialogues鈥� sparked many conversations 鈥� including about importance of having them

Harvard students in an audience asking questions

The Summit on Intellectual Vitality and Free Expression

In January 2024, Harvard Dialogues kicked off with a two-day gathering co-hosted by the Harvard College and PEN America featured scholars of law, history, and politics, and workshops for undergraduate students.

Hard Questions: Ethics in the Age of AI

In winter 2024, Michael Sandel, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, challenged students to question their assumptions, like whether technology will change what it means to be human? And if that matters?

Harvard faculty talking on stage at a Harvard Kennedy event

Dissent, Disagreement, and Democracy

As part of Harvard Dialogues, a Harvard Kennedy School panel wrestled with how to repair divides and explored creating a culture of candid, constructive conversations.

A zoom screen with four Harvard faculty members

鈥楬uman dignity front and center鈥�

Finding common ground in an era of intense political and personal division begins with mutual respect was the message of 鈥淐oming Together Across Difference,鈥� an online discussion in winter 2024 featuring Danielle Allen, David Lazer and Alexandra Pineros-Shields.