Photo via iStock/LuckyBusiness

Voices & Opinion

POV: It’s Time to Talk Politics in a Peaceful Way

Schools are failing to teach civic discourse, but there are steps we can take to have conversations around contentious subjects

Civic discourse may seem all but lost in our current political climate, where screaming or silencing others have become the norm everywhere—from the floors of Congress to comments on social media. We live in a world of deep political polarization fueled by complex and contentious current events at home and abroad—amplified even more this year due to the looming presidential election. 

We are still rebuilding norms of social engagement in the aftermath of COVID-19 isolation, where the very nature of face-to-face conversation posed a public health threat. Additionally, the increased use of social media among youth and adults is leaving people further polarized and angrier than ever. Disengagement from dialogue can lead to fear of those with different views, making it easier to engage in stereotyping, dehumanization, extremism, and, at worst, political violence.

It doesn’t have to be this way. 

Civic discourse is a core skill that K-12 and higher education institutions can and must deliberately teach. It is a way to discuss and deliberate over how we want to live together and what we should do about societal problems. Engaging in civic discourse is not about trying to persuade others to adopt your point of view through debate, but rather about dialoguing to better understand one another and arrive at actionable solutions to pressing issues that our communities face.

Unfortunately, K-12 students are getting shortchanged when it comes to civic discourse, whether through state bans of discussing divisive concepts, the squeezing of social studies out of school schedules, or the lack of professional learning opportunities for teachers on how to facilitate discussions on contentious issues. By the time students reach college, many have not formally learned the skills necessary to engage in civic discourse. Therefore, it is vital that higher education institutions are not only committed to the ideals of civic discourse, but also include the skills and dispositions associated with it as an integral part of core coursework.

Institutionalizing curriculum changes takes time—and these are skills we need now. In the absence of robust education around civic discourse from kindergarten through college, we do not have to shy away from engaging in difficult conversations or retreating to comforting echo chambers on the internet. So where can we begin?

Following the PEACE principles—perspective-taking, empathetic engagement, active listening, collaborative conversations, and empowered citizenship—is one place to start when engaging in politically contentious conversations, whether in a classroom, coffee shop, or dinner table.

Perspective-taking uses an intersectional lens to understand your own identities and viewpoints and why you hold them, respecting differences, appreciating perspectives different from your own, and having an open mind to go outside of your comfort zone. Empathic engagement includes holistically learning about a topic from various viewpoints, understanding your sources of information and why those sources may portray topics in particular ways, attending to your own and others’ emotional responses to different perspectives, and treating those who hold different perspectives with humanity and dignity. Active listening involves listening to understand the content of what someone said, the emotions they are conveying, and their personal point of view, and withholding interjecting your own responses and judgments. Collaborative conversations includes focusing on mutually effective communication, finding common ground, and compromising. The goal is that conversations move away from trying to change someone’s mind and instead work towards mutual understanding. 

Empowered citizenship makes the democratic process more meaningful because it allows us to take informed action based on the work of perspective-taking, empathic engagement, active listening, and collaborative conversations. Understanding the nuance of an issue and the varied perspectives on that issue, leaves us better situated to write that senator, attend that protest, or create that social media campaign.

There are easy ways to lean into these principles. It could be as simple as reading up on another perspective on an issue you care about, engaging in a conversation with someone with a different perspective and listening to their viewpoint without interruption or persuasion. Then you both can recognize common values and interests, which may lead to creating actionable solutions together to benefit multiple communities.

Here at BU we are hungry to learn from each other, and are committed to community, civility, and free speech. In the lead-up, outcome, and aftermath of the election on November 5, we owe it to ourselves to effectively converse with each other so that we can preserve the spirit of democratic education and participation.

Engaging in civic discourse isn’t always going to lead to agreement, nor is it always a comfortable experience. Yet it is a vital component of diverse democratic societies. The PEACE principles are a means to an end to peaceful, productive dialogue that allows our community to better understand one another and take informed civic action. So, next time you want to shout across your dorm room or villainize someone on social media who holds an opposing viewpoint, think about PEACE.

Kaylene Stevens is a clinical assistant professor of social studies education at BU’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, a faculty affiliate at the Center for Antiracist Research, and a faculty lead for the Designing Antiracist Curricula Fellowship Program. She is the coauthor of the book Teaching History for Justice: Centering Activism in Students’ Study of the Past. She can be reached at kaylenes@bu.edu.

Ariel Tichnor-Wagner is a Wheelock lecturer in educational policy studies, a faculty affiliate at the Wheelock Educational Policy Center, and author of Becoming a Globally Competent Teacher and Becoming a Globally Competent School Leader. She can be reached at arieltw@bu.edu. 

Stevens and Tichnor-Wagner are collaborating on a research project titled PEACE Principles for Civic Discourse.

“POV” is an opinion page that provides timely commentaries from students, faculty, and staff on a variety of issues: on-campus, local, state, national, or international. Anyone interested in submitting a piece, which should be about 700 words long, should contact today@bu.edu. BU Today reserves the right to reject or edit submissions. The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of Boston University.