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Speaking together differently to live together differently: The promise of the public dialogue movement
Abstract
The struggle for mutual respect of difference may be the most paradigmatic form of public conflict in the United States and elsewhere today. In recent years, a movement and broad community of practice has burgeoned in the United States and beyond, which brings people together across deep divides to engage in dialogue aimed to reduce conflict and foster mutual understanding. In this article, I introduce the public dialogue movement, and argue that as religious educators we should see ourselves called by the “signs of the times” to widen our praxis of dialogue across divides beyond our historic, robust leadership in interreligious dialogue.
... The lack of mutual respect for different world views and the inability to conduct a dialogue across the divide breeds many conflicts with religion in the background (cf . Johnson, 2018) . Hence, the presence of religion as a subject in Polish schools has been a cause of conflicts between believers and atheists since the beginning (since 1990) (Anczyk & Grzymała-Moszczyńska, 2018;Głuszek-Szafraniec, 2017) . ...
For many years, there has been a heated debate in the Polish media regarding the presence and concept of Roman Catholic religious education in schools. Therefore, questions arise: What image of Roman Catholic religious education emerges from the media discussion? Are the criteria used to evaluate Roman Catholic religious education fair, ensuring equal treatment of all subjects in Polish schools? This article attempts to answer these questions through a qualitative analysis of 100 publications posted on popular websites between 2018 and 2022. The results of the research confirm that the media debate on Roman Catholic religious education in Polish schools is not always objective and tolerant.
... When this is adequately accomplished, the results will be the intelligence of gaining new insight about others. Johnson (2018) captured this correctly that through dialogue one is able to: [B]ring persons together -as individuals, or as social identity groups -in structured settings to engage in facilitated dialogue aimed to help heal enmity, reduce prejudice, foster mutual understanding, and cultivate a more civil society. (p. ...
Dialogue has the power to calm the conflicts, misunderstandings and prejudices among people of different cultures, religions, theologies and worldviews. This article points out that theology and dialogue are inseparable. It endeavours to find a definition of dialogue and its role in theology and how theology expresses itself through dialogue. The church speaks through dialogue, and theology’s voice is heard mostly from and through the church. It is a dialogue that spearheads the shape and formation of theology. All the biblical dialogues are theological in content. The role played by the biblical text during the dialogical processes is very important. A theologian affirms and embraces the text through communicating with it. He or she must always attempt to engage the movements and the thoughts of the text. Texts are primarily powerful instruments of groups and only second-line power tools of individuals. The principles of comparative theology are ideal in any dialogue. Dialogues are the meeting points of theology and dialogist as the confessors express themselves to God through dialogue. The dialogical spaces become sacred spaces because it is where dialogue partners encounter a common commitment to justice. Dialogues are not necessarily theological because non-Christian religions and natural sciences are encountered in and through dialogues.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article acknowledges the realities of civil strife in the communities and that this strife creates walls between the people. A solution to this tension is that theology through dialogue should engage all sciences, natural or social, for harmonious co-existence within humanity.
... It also enhances civic harmony and cooperation, for when the church is civilly aligned, the community becomes peaceful. Johnson (2018) states: ...
This article is aiming to promote a learning programme known as Difficult Dialogue. This programme is used in universities and colleges across the world to forge interaction, dialogue and transparency where people divided by race, religion, gender or disabilities come together to dialogue as a way of understanding each other. The programme can be used in pursuit of building a multicultural church that can truly demonstrate that the church is ONE and agrees with the biblical teaching about unity of the believers. There are three reasons expounded why leading the multicultural church in South Africa seems to be a challenge. Firstly, people from the culture of segregation are generally scared or reserved of different cultures. The cultural gaps are too wide to close. Secondly, many who desire to lead multicultural churches continue to live mono-ethnic lives; and finally, the difficulty is exacerbated by a misnomer of those who desire to lead multicultural churches confusing to have people of colour present in the church being a multicultural church. The solution to this is three-pronged, as there are three practical suggestions towards a multicultural church’s engagement through Difficult Dialogue. The first suggestion calls for a change of a church space into a centre of learning; secondly, to utilise people’s stories; and finally, to strive for a church culture that reflects multiculturalism and diversity.
يهدف هذا البحث الى بيان تأثير القيادة المحاورة في تعزيز الولاء التنظيمي على مستوى عينة من الافراد العاملين في المديرية العامة لتربية بابل، ومن اجل تحقيق ذلك تم قياس متغير القيادة المحاورة بأربعة أبعاد فرعية هي (الاستماع – الاحترام – التعليق – التعبير)، وتم قياس الولاء التنظيمي بثلاث أبعاد هي (الولاء العاطفي، الولاء الاخلاقي، الولاء المستمر). وقد انطلق البحث بمشكلة رئيسة ضمت تساؤلات عديدة تدور حول طبيعة العلاقة بين متغيراته ميدانيا وكان أهمها (ما هو مستوى تأثير القيادة المحاورة بأبعادها على الولاء التنظيمي من وجهة نظر عينة البحث؟) من خلال عينة البحث التي اشتملت على عينة من العاملين في المديرية العامة لتربية بابل وبلغت عينة البحث (84) فردا من الافراد العاملين في تلك المديرية. تم استخدام الاستبانة كأداة رئيسة في جمع البيانات والمعلومات الازمة للبحث. ولغرض تحليل البيانات ومعالجتها احصائيا اعتمد الباحثين على مجموعة من الاساليب الاحصائية المتوفرة في البرنامجين (. (SPSS V.24 Amos V.23وتوصل البحث الى مجموعة من الاستنتاجات تمثلت أهمها بان هناك علاقة ارتباط وتأثير معنوي بين القيادة المحاورة المتمثلة بأبعادها (الاستماع, الاحترام, التعليق, التعبير) والولاء التنظيمي بأبعاده (العاطفي, الأخلاقي, المستمر). وفي ضوء الاستنتاجات تم صياغة مجموعة من التوصيات أبرزها تعزيز الطاقة الابداعية لدى الأخرين من خلال ابداء الرأي واستخدام اسلوب عصف الافكار والتفكير الإبداعي.
Este capítulo explora la posibilidad de apropiar la conversación como método para el trabajo teológico. Los autores realizan un recorrido histórico por el papel de la conversación en el pensamiento filosófico y teológico, desde Platón hasta Marcella Althaus-Reid. Luego, ofrecen una caracterización fenomenológica de la conversación como vivencia humana fundamental. Finalmente, proponen una apropiación de la conversación como método teológico, dialogando con la propuesta de “teología a cuatro voces” de Clare Watkins. El texto argumenta que la conversación puede ser un método fecundo para la teología, ya que refleja la dinámica propia de la revelación divina y permite integrar diversas voces y perspectivas en la reflexión teológica. Los autores concluyen que esta aproximación metodológica requiere mayor desarrollo, especialmente en cuanto a asegurar el carácter teológico de la conversación, caracterizar las voces participantes, establecer criterios para la elección de interlocutores, explicitar las dinámicas de interacción, y formular modos de exposición consecuentes. El capítulo sugiere que la conversación como método puede aportar fecundidad epistémica, existencial y pragmática a la práctica de la teología.
This chapter explores the possibility of appropriating conversation as a method for theological work. The authors take a historical survey of the role of conversation in philosophical and theological thought, from Plato to Marcella Althaus-Reid. They then offer a phenomenological characterization of conversation as a fundamental human experience. Finally, they propose an appropriation of conversation as a theological method, dialoguing with Clare Watkins' “four-voice theology” proposal. The text argues that conversation can be a fruitful method for theology since it reflects the dynamics of divine revelation and allows the integration of diverse voices and perspectives in theological reflection. The authors conclude that this methodological approach requires further development, especially in terms of ensuring the theological character of the conversation, characterizing the participating voices, establishing criteria for the choice of interlocutors, making the dynamics of interaction explicit, and formulating consistent modes of exposition. The chapter suggests that conversation as a method can bring epistemic, existential, and pragmatic fruitfulness to the practice of theology.
Este capítulo explora la posibilidad de apropiar la conversación como método para el trabajo teológico. Los autores realizan un recorrido histórico por el papel de la conversación en el pensamiento filosófico y teológico, desde Platón hasta Marcella Althaus-Reid. Luego, ofrecen una caracterización fenomenológica de la conversación como vivencia humana fundamental. Finalmente, proponen una apropiación de la conversación como método teológico, dialogando con la propuesta de “teología a cuatro voces” de Clare Watkins. El texto argumenta que la conversación puede ser un método fecundo para la teología, ya que refleja la dinámica propia de la revelación divina y permite integrar diversas voces y perspectivas en la reflexión teológica. Los autores concluyen que esta aproximación metodológica requiere mayor desarrollo, especialmente en cuanto a asegurar el carácter teológico de la conversación, caracterizar las voces participantes, establecer criterios para la elección de interlocutores, explicitar las dinámicas de interacción, y formular modos de exposición consecuentes. El capítulo sugiere que la conversación como método puede aportar fecundidad epistémica, existencial y pragmática a la práctica de la teología.
This article gives some historical development of Black Consciousness, Black Nationalism and Black Theology during the colonial and apartheid eras. The three worked symbiotically to address the racial injustices of the past. Each tenet is historically explained and ideologically defined. Black Consciousness and Black Nationalism are still prevalent in the South African sociopolitical landscape. This is expressed through the current political parties that are the minorities in the National Assembly. However, the ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), as a ‘broader church’ also possesses some constituents and adherents who are the Black Consciousness and Nationalistic aspirants. South Africa is developing into a peasant society regardless of capitalistic embraces of development. Poverty and equality are visible in societal structures. Those who were formerly equality aspirants are now in sociopolitical and economic circles and had forgotten their aspirations of justice and equality. Corruption, maladministration, bad governance, etc., are the menaces that cause imbalances and create a wider gap between the rich and the poor.
Contribution: Black Theology is invited to lead dialogical deliberations to assess and ascertain how to bring justice into the volatile situation where people’s security and safety is uncertain and warped ideologies such as ethnic cleansing are promoted. Black Theology should resort to the theological mandate of speaking for the poor and oppressed and promote the sense of the New Testament spirit of communality.
The early nineties ushered in the dawn of democracy; and attempts towards negotiations and settlement for peaceful elections were due to theological dialogues that seem to have been obscured later. This article explores the meaning, method, and implementation of theology of dialogue in peace negotiations and settlements. The role of five dialogues is explored as cases for South Africa during that time. Reference is made to the impact dialogical theology made upon the socio-political landscape during the negotiations that led to some peaceful elections that opened the door for the new democracy in South Africa. Theology of dialogue is proposed as a powerful approach to peace making and settlement in any socio-religious or socio-political tensions and impasses.
This article demonstrates how white Christianity in urban South Africa is fated by demographic change. The repeal of apartheid in 1994 enacted some sociocultural changes in urban South Africa. The white population exited the city and town centres, followed by the black South Africans. The historical relationship of the government under the National Party (NP) and the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) led to latters’ redundancy in the cities. The cultural development towards multiculturalism led to polycentric focus where the suburban peripheries and the city centres experience some form of socio- and cultural-economic developments. Two proposals are made to redress the situation. Firstly, a rethinking was suggested of the theology of the city, which should always demonstrate solidarity with the poor and the marginalised trapped within the decadent city culture. Secondly, a missiological refocus was suggested, which should pursue, embrace and include activities that are not paternalistic.
Dialogue can be a powerful force for healing communities and relationships broken by divisions of identity, values, religion and world-views. This article explores the reparative effects of dialogue and the elements that make them possible: re-authoring stories, communicating from the heart and witnessing others’ identities in constructive ways.
We propose that intergroup contact provides an effective means by which to reduce, resolve, and prevent conflict of all kinds, including violent conflict. We review the vast literature on the effectiveness of intergroup contact and discuss when and how it reduces prejudice. We also discuss key features of successful interventions, highlighting examples from conflict zones around the world. Rather than accepting, as some scholars do, that conflict is inevitable, we argue that intergroup contact, in its various forms, can play a pivotal and preemptive role in conflict prevention. We suggest that a blunt application of contact theory, particularly when groups are of unequal status, can have some unfortunate consequences, and contact interventions can, and should, be designed to overcome these pitfalls. We argue that, ultimately, contact is a powerful tool that needs to be used alongside other means of conflict reduction, resolution, and prevention in order to frame sound public policy and build lasting peace.
This article investigates the association between past lynchings (1882 to 1930) and contemporary law enforcement responses to hate crimes in the United States. While prior research indicates a positive correlation between past levels of lynching and current social control practices against minority groups, we posit an inverse relationship for facets of social control that are protective of minorities. Specifically, we hypothesize that contemporary hate crime policing and prosecution will be less vigorous where lynching was more prevalent prior to 1930. Analyses show that levels of past lynching are associated with three outcome variables germane to hate crime policing and prosecution, but the effect of lynching is partly contingent on the presence of a minority group threat. That is, past lynching combined with a sizeable black population largely suppresses (1) police compliance with federal hate crime law, (2) police reports of hate crimes that target blacks, and in some analyses (3) the likelihood of prosecuting a hate crime case. Our findings have implications for research on law and intergroup conflict, historical continuity in the exercise of state social control, and theories that emphasize minority group threat.
In recent years, Hispanic immigration to the United States has become a politically charged public issue, with significant consequences for immigration policies, communities, individual immigrants, and the U.S. residents who resemble them in language, customs, and appearance. We examine one possible collateral consequence of the fear and tension surrounding recent immigration trends, anti-Hispanic hate crime. Drawing on traditional theories of intergroup conflict—and particularly minority threat theory—we hypothesize that recent changes in Hispanic immigration are positively related to hate crimes targeting Hispanics. We find support for this hypothesis in a multivariate state-level panel analysis of anti-Hispanic hate crime from 2000 to 2004. Other predictions, however, are not supported. We conclude that the impact of immigration patterns on hate crime is an important area for continued criminological inquiry and that the notion of cultural threat should receive greater attention as studies of intergroup conflict move beyond the Black—White dichotomy.
The present article presents a meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory. With 713 independent samples from 515 studies, the meta-analysis finds that intergroup contact typically reduces intergroup prejudice. Multiple tests indicate that this finding appears not to result from either participant selection or publication biases, and the more rigorous studies yield larger mean effects. These contact effects typically generalize to the entire outgroup, and they emerge across a broad range of outgroup targets and contact settings. Similar patterns also emerge for samples with racial or ethnic targets and samples with other targets. This result suggests that contact theory, devised originally for racial and ethnic encounters, can be extended to other groups. A global indicator of Allport's optimal contact conditions demonstrates that contact under these conditions typically leads to even greater reduction in prejudice. Closer examination demonstrates that these conditions are best conceptualized as an interrelated bundle rather than as independent factors. Further, the meta-analytic findings indicate that these conditions are not essential for prejudice reduction. Hence, future work should focus on negative factors that prevent intergroup contact from diminishing prejudice as well as the development of a more comprehensive theory of intergroup contact.
In order both to prepare for an increasingly diverse society and to help students navigate diverse learning environments, many institutions of higher education have developed programs that support student learning and competencies around inter- and intra-group relations. Facilitating Change through Intergroup Dialogue: Social Justice Advocacy in Practice traces the impact of Intergroup Dialogue (IGD) courses on peer-facilitators who delivered Skidmore College’s IGD curricula over a five-year period. Through a series of in-depth qualitative interviews and auto-ethnographies, this book explores how former IGD facilitators are applying what they learned to their personal and professional lives three to five years post-college. By exploring facilitators' application of IGD skills, understanding of social justice, and the challenges inherent in this work, Facilitating Change through Intergroup Dialogue offers concrete strategies for supporting undergraduate students in their enduring efforts towards justice.
Due to continuing immigration and increasing racial and ethnic inclusiveness, higher education institutions in the United States are likely to grow ever more diverse in the 21st century. This shift holds both promise and peril: Increased inter-ethnic contact could lead to a more fruitful learning environment that encourages collaboration. On the other hand, social identity and on-campus diversity remain hotly contested issues that often raise intergroup tensions and inhibit discussion. How can we help diverse students learn from each other and gain the competencies they will need in an increasingly multicultural America? Dialogue Across Difference synthesizes three years worth of research from an innovative field experiment focused on improving intergroup understanding, relationships and collaboration. The result is a fascinating study of the potential of intergroup dialogue to improve relations across race and gender. First developed in the late 1980s, intergroup dialogues bring together an equal number of students from two different groups such as people of color and white people, or women and men to share their perspectives and learn from each other. To test the possible impact of such courses and to develop a standard of best practice, the authors of Dialogue Across Difference incorporated various theories of social psychology, higher education, communication studies and social work to design and implement a uniform curriculum in nine universities across the country. Unlike most studies on intergroup dialogue, this project employed random assignment to enroll more than 1,450 students in experimental and control groups, including in 26 dialogue courses and control groups on race and gender each. Students admitted to the dialogue courses learned about racial and gender inequalities through readings, role-play activities and personal reflections. The authors tracked students progress using a mixed-method approach, including longitudinal surveys, content analyses of student papers, interviews of students, and videotapes of sessions. The results are heartening: Over the course of a term, students who participated in intergroup dialogues developed more insight into how members of other groups perceive the world. They also became more thoughtful about the structural underpinnings of inequality, increased their motivation to bridge differences and intergroup empathy, and placed a greater value on diversity and collaborative action. The authors also note that the effects of such courses were evident on nearly all measures. While students did report an initial increase in negative emotions a possible indication of the difficulty of openly addressing race and gender that effect was no longer present a year after the course. Overall, the results are remarkably consistent and point to an optimistic conclusion: intergroup dialogue is more than mere talk. It fosters productive communication about and across differences in the service of greater collaboration for equity and justice. Ambitious and timely, Dialogue Across Difference presents a persuasive practical, theoretical and empirical account of the benefits of intergroup dialogue. The data and research presented in this volume offer a useful model for improving relations among different groups not just in the college setting but in the United States as well.
https://www.russellsage.org/publications/dialogue-across-difference
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