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By: Lori Britt, ICAD Co-Director

In fall 2020, students in a JMU course that teaches students how to facilitate productive talk and help people think together led online conversations for JMU students. The first set of online conversations asked students to come together and discuss how to move forward after a contentious election as a “Purple” campus. The central question that was explored was, “How do we explore the concerns and humanity behind others’ political views?” These conversations impacted not only student participants but the student facilitators as well.

One facilitator mentioned being struck by a conversation that unfolded between participants about understanding people’s stories rather than labeling people. “There was one participant who shared that she sometimes has trouble empathizing with people who refuse to wear masks and other actions like this. Another participant responded saying that although he agreed with her, he has a friend who is autistic and struggles wearing a mask a lot of the time. He said he wished people would give his friend the benefit of the doubt by seeking his reasoning before assuming his intentions were malicious, which they in fact were not. This then sparked a dialogue about first impressions and labeling in politics. This led the whole group to consider how we can find a balance between using the labels that we have to make sense of the world and maintain cognitive order, while also being empathetic and understanding.”

Another facilitator noted that the conversation she facilitated offered “evidence and an example of a productive and beneficial conversation about politics. It made me realize difficult conversations are possible to have and they can impact people in a positive way.”

A third facilitator mentioned the impact of listening to two participants with opposing views on a particular topic who each actively tried to hear and understand the other. “It was compelling to witness the two individuals understand and learn different perspectives of how they formed this value or belief. At the end of the conversation, these participants reflected that they learned to be compassionate to others while having difficult conversations and push further to connect with others even if they have opposing views.”

Creating spaces where people can authentically engage and seek to learn from one another can begin to show those involved that when it comes to talking about politics, we can do better. These conversations helped to show JMU students that we can be a campus where all the shades of red and blue combine into a vibrant purple filled with people with their own stories and concerns and hopes. We can learn to listen and understand these differences, to lean into difficult conversations so that we can learn to value each other even when we disagree.

Contact ICAD at ICAD@jmu.edu for more information.