Can We Talk... about the role of the university in a polarized society?

Hosted by:

The Centre for Studies in Religion and Society and The Centre for Global Studies

Series description

Recent global and local events have reminded us of the importance of universities as potential sites for civil discourse and deliberation across social or political divisions. Still, universities do not exist in a vacuum – they are subject to political pressures, anti-elitist sentiments, and economic crises. While expertise is a critical component of an informed public debate, universities have recently encountered serious challenges in determining how to play this role most meaningfully and effectively.

The Can We Talk? series of conversations brings together UVic faculty to discuss these pressing issues. Each session will begin with music, art, and lunch. Following lightly curated lunch conversations, there will be open engagement with three UVic panelists. These meals and discussions will be hosted by Paul Bramadat (CSRS) and Oliver Schmidtke (CFGS) and their colleagues, and will attempt to foster respectful critical conversations and community building.

Workshop description

In this first workshop, we aim to examine the university’s role during global conflicts and political extremism. How can the university promote innovative, respectful discussions about fundamental challenges? What is the appropriate balance between the freedom of academic debates and the need to address hate-speech and promote feelings of safety? How do researchers balance their scholarly commitments and their political engagement as citizens? How can the university adapt, respond, and contribute to the development of inclusive and resilient democratic societies?

Workshop Format

Instead of just gathering people for a conventional expert-driven discussion, we want to use a different format for facilitating open conversations in a respectful spirit drawing on what works so well at the CSRS and CFGS. That is, we will begin these events by sharing lunch with all participants, who would spend the first half of the event in lightly facilitated small groups (as they eat and socialize in a lightly structured manner). After these small convivial groups have had a chance to reflect together on the issue being addressed that day, representatives from each table would share some questions or observations that emerged during lunch with the larger group and a carefully selected panel of UVic experts.

This pivot from the small-group experience of hospitality and gathering to the moderated large-group setting of open inquiry and debate should work well for the three issues we have identified for the series.

Music and the arts will enrich the space, offering another way of bringing together multiple perspectives, insights, and expressions.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any food restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Host or Publisher CSRS, University of Victoria