On Friday, March 14, Project Pericles hosted a webinar, Technology Empowered Dialogue: Within and Beyond the Classroom, in collaboration with Unify America to explore how faculty can engage in meaningful dialogue across political divides. Dr. Emily Stacey, a Periclean Civic Engagement Fellow and Political Science professor at Rose State College, shared how she integrates Unify America’s tools to complement Project Pericles’ deliberative dialogue modules into her courses: Intro to Mass Media and American Federal Government. She facilitated dialogues around hyperpartisanship and mass incarceration and also explained how her tactics for implementing dialogues both in asynchronous platforms, like using online discussion forums and real-time dialogues, can be incorporated across disciplines beyond political science. The Project Pericles deliberative dialogue modules, for example, have several discussion topics and resources across courses in business, the humanities, STEM, and social sciences.
Arielle Mizrahi and Matt Pollard, Partnership Managers from Unify America, offered insights into Unify America’s College Bowl and Deep Dive programs, which foster constructive discussions on pressing social issues:
- College Bowl: Students from different political backgrounds are paired for a guided, hour-long conversation on 20 hot-button issues. These discussions encourage critical thinking and active listening. Since its launch in 2021, The College Bowl has connected over 20,000 students across 220 institutions. Held three times a year, in fall, spring, and summer, this event has been a transformative experience, opening students up to their capacity for productive dialogue across differences.
- Deep Dive: Launched in 2024, this program pairs students from different institutions to engage in fact-based, solution-focused conversations on a single issue. The upcoming Spring 2025 Deep Dive, occurring April 8, 15, 17, and 22, will explore gun ownership and gun violence, social media and mental health, and free speech vs. hate speech.
Beyond student testimonies, Unify America’s programs are making a tangible difference, after the fall 2024 College Bowl:
- 86% of participants rated the experience an 8 or higher on a scale of 10.
- 80% said it helped them see new perspectives.
- 69% felt more confident discussing controversial issues with those who hold different viewpoints.
The ability to collaborate and compromise across differences is essential for democracy. As Dr. Stacey shared, “If we can’t converse with one another, if we cannot have those hard conversations without canceling each other–or worse, then we cease to be a democracy. And tools like Project Pericles’ deliberative dialogue modules and Unify America are really bringing this into focus for students who are living in this media environment, where all they know is the extremes.” Through these initiatives, students don’t just talk about civic engagement – they practice it, gaining skills needed to foster a stronger, more connected democracy.
Missed the webinar? You can view the recording here and webinar slides.
Key Webinar Resources:
- Civic Gym webpage – Learn more about the College Bowl and Deep Dive and see Unify America’s 2024 Impact Report.
- Registration for the Deep Dive, open till April 1, 2025. The Deep Dive events will be held on April 8, 15, 17, & 22, 2025. Topics include: Gun Ownership & Gun Violence, Free Speech & Hate Speech, and Social Media & Mental Health.
- Unify College Bowl Trailer and Unify Challenge College Bowl – Student Experience Videos.