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Enlightened Disagreement Program Heats Up During Winter

What do meaningful conversations over moralized difference sound like?

Over two evenings in Winter Quarter, students in the Litowitz Center for Enlightened Disagreement certificate program learned they can be as quiet as the library or as loud as the dining hall.

The quarter began in January with , a writing-based game created by Steve Franconeri, professor of psychology at Â鶹´«Ã½. Players with divergent views on a topic such as allowing the death penalty for premeditated mass murder or taxing sugary soda for its detrimental health effects are paired and challenged to work together toward mutual understanding. “Winning” in this exercise does not require overall consensus; instead, progress happens quietly as the rules allow for little talking. At program sessions, students wrote their points on cards that extended like tentacles from a central issue tile. Compared to speaking aloud about “thorny” topics, many students found mapping arguments in writing to be less emotional and more constructive. They clearly found it engaging because several stacks of cards had to be refilled as argument strands neared table edges.

In February Alice Siu, senior research scholar at Stanford University, introduced , a globally tested method for dialogue. Guided by trained moderators, students had lively discussions about policy proposals related to free speech online and on campus. They then collaboratively developed questions for an expert panel with William W. Gurley Professor of Law, and professor of journalism, whose answers informed students’ responses to a closing survey on support for the policy proposals. 

While communication modes differed across sessions, students' takeaways were similar. They reported a better understanding of not only others’ viewpoints but their own. Many acknowledged that focused exchanges and expert insights shifted their perspectives on issues in one direction or another. These reflections are promising indicators of the pilot program’s impact on its 200+ participants.

Another positive sign is students’ desire for more interaction. To meet that demand, the Litowitz Center has organized optional activities, including small group dinners and coffee conversations with Interim President Henry Bienen and President Emeritus Michael Schill, who championed establishment of the Center. These events will sustain ties until Spring Quarter, when the residential program’s official sessions resume with best-selling author David McRaney. He will speak with students about his book, , and teach them conversational techniques to avoid pitfalls such as cognitive dissonance that can cause people to shut down.

Having passed the halfway point in this year’s pilot program, which started in Fall Quarter, the Litowitz Center and Division of Student Affairs are already making plans to expand capacity for the 2026-27 academic year. Students planning to live on campus are invited to early to ensure they don’t miss out on the May sign-up process.