Across the ideological divide: Marquette’s intersection faculty roundtable

As our public sphere becomes defined by deep divisions and warring approaches to shared challenges, Marquette has experience guiding students in a better way. For nearly a decade, the Civic Dialogues Project has brought students together for events such as Dialogue Dinners where they learn to engage in honest, respectful discussions on difficult issues. More recently, this approach has been at the center of a course in the Marquette Core Curriculum - Civic Discussion, Democracy and Collaborative Problem-Solving - that's taken by about 600 students each year in sections co-taught by faculty members from diverse disciplines. In this Q&A, professors from nursing and business who taught a section together, and one from English who developed the course, talk about students' experiences with civic dialogue and what we can all learn from them.

Describe the journey students take in this course - where they started and how they progressed?

Dr. Christine Schindler: When we started, students were pretty quiet. It was a big class, and we really had to encourage people to speak up. As expected, people came with very different perspectives, but by the end, they were much more engaged and better able to talk. It gave me hope because what I see in public now, particularly in the political space, is a lot of shouting of opinions and people hardly listening to each other. But our students did a much better job of deeply listening to one another, respecting one another and building relationships. They're understanding this point as coming from a person who is the sum of more than just some disparate opinions. And not to wear rose-colored glasses, but I feel that if this could be duplicated - if we had young people who knew how to disagree but still respect one another - maybe we could start working on problems collaboratively again.

Dr. Manoj Babu: Our specific section handled gun violence, corporate social responsibility and ethics, and AI integration as a final module. These are pivotal and very sensitive topics that people have opinions on. But the civic dialogue course teaches students not just to rush to an opinion, but instead to see all sides of an issue. In our smaller groups, we actually asked people to debate the opposite of the side they would normally take. That was such a learning point. It requires students, or anyone, to look at other angles before forming an opinion. As Christine said, rather than just shouting out whatever you think, there has to be rhyme, reason and logic behind it. This is essentially how communities and societies are built, respectful dialogue. Getting students to consider the opposite side of whatever they are comfortable with - and it was very uncomfortable - that was part of the journey and growth.

Dr. Amelia Zurcher: I love listening to Manoj and Chris. Those are outcomes that I am hoping for. For me, one of the things that we found initially, at least in my sections, is that students are very reluctant to disagree openly. So, if they do disagree, they just kind of sit back (with arms crossed). As the course proceeds, they become much more comfortable, realizing that disagreeing is not the end of the world. Watching those small groups cohere to the point where they are having a real discussion about different opinions is really cool. And I would affirm the point that Manoj made about asking them to imagine that they hold a different perspective. How would they argue the other side? That's been huge for us. It helps students realize, as Chris says, that people aren't just accumulations of different opinions; they contain a lot of potential and a lot of experience. Students start to learn that sound bites aren't who we are.

What have you learned that might apply to a broader audience and provide value beyond the course?

CS: One of the things we really emphasized - and kept linking back to with students - was how this approach related to being Jesuit educated: We're not teaching them what to think, but how to think. So, I think it would be incredible if this model could be shared throughout the AJCU (Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities) as a real marker of depth of thought and being able to communicate in a meaningful way.

AZ: Right now, we're at 600 students a year and it's required for students in the University Honors Program. But I would love to see this become the model for the whole core curriculum. As a course for all undergrads, this would be a foundation for a very big group of people. Our students are telling us how they can bring it into other spaces on campus and into their professional lives.

MB: This class truly teaches students to form an opinion that they can support with facts, while also understanding the opinions on the other side. The whole idea of being very aware and taking a total perspective assessment before jumping to a conclusion, or defending a point, that's key. Even simple things like taking notes about facts on the other side: It encourages students to start thinking beyond themselves. That's what we need in the business field as well. We're in a global society, so you have to understand how China markets their products versus how the U.S. markets their products. You have to see multiple sides of the same issue.

Any final thoughts on your hopes for students and where they'll take the skills they developed in class?

MB: I would hope students use this skill set - deliberate, discuss, debate - not just in academia. They should be able to use it in their normal lives as well. It can be as simple as picking a place to eat with friends or deciding which job to take once graduated. This trained mindset can bloom into providing leadership on issues like gun violence and world peace. I'm hoping students can take that experience and be model citizens using the Jesuit values that we teach them. I'm hoping these students come into the business field, and they're able to take things logically and discern what's going on before forming an opinion. Making an educated decision is a much better method of being business leaders.

CS: One thing I would like to see is students being leaders where they are, where they stand. Civic dialogue is such a leadership competency. They don't have to be the CEO of a hospital or the charge nurse to use these skills. I do think if they use these skills, it really can change conversations. Whether it's in a cocurricular activity or in their first job, they can lead in communication and influence those around them.

AZ: I have just one word, and I mean it very broadly: peacemaking. I think if we use these skills for peace rather than conflict and violence, both in the course material and on social media, that's my hope. We need to respect each other.