Civil Discourse Resources

Civil Discourse Resources

Talking Across the Political Divide Session

Resource Documents I Videos I Websites

Introduction

The League of Women Voters is committed to fostering civility in public discourse, and LWVODC supports this nationwide commitment through our Civil Discourse Resource Page. Civility begins with openness to listening to points of view that may be different from our own, and respect for the other person's right to hold opinions that differ from ours.

Civility takes training and patience. Each individual has the opportunity to decide to communicate with others in a civil manner, even when tempers flare and public discourse is marked by tribalism. Sometimes the outcome of our listening efforts may result in "agreeing to disagree", in a way that respects each person's rights.

LWVODC's Civil Discourse Resource Page provides training materials for fostering civility in our government bodies and personal lives. 

Resources

Documents

  • A Study of Civil Discourse in San Luis Obispo County: Finding a Definition, Best Practices, and Position
  • A Short Guide on How to Listen
  • Applying Democracy in Dialogue
  • Better Conversations: A Starter Guide
  • LWV San Luis Obispo's Civil Discourse HandbookOne on One Democracy
  • Conversation Guide: Rebuilding Trust with Each Other to Save Our Civil Society 
  • Resource Guide: Rebuilding Trust with Each Other to Save Our Civil Society
  • Text, Talk, Revive Civility & Respect
  • Nine Nonobvious Ways to Have Deeper Conversations: The art of making connection even in a time of dislocation, by David Brooks, New York Times, Nov. 20, 2020.  Here. 
  • The election’s over.  It’s time to unclench our fists and open our ears.  Article in Los Angeles Times by Nita Lelyveld, Nov. 14, 2020.  Here. 
  • Connecting with Our Political Polar Opposites.  CapRadio guest, Steve Dinkin, President Conflict Resolution Center, 9 minute conversation.  Here
  • QAnon:  What Happens Now?  Sponsored by Commonwealth Club on Jan. 7, 2021, featuring Matthew Rozsa, staff writer for Salon, who has done investigative work on conspiracy theories and those who support them.  Available here. 
  • Interview on NPR Jan. 17, 2021 about understanding masculinity’s big role in the previous administration with Danielle Kurtzleben.  Listen/read here. 
  • The ‘Shared Psychosis’ of Donald Trump and His Loyalists by Tanya Lewis for Scientific American, Jan. 11, 2021.  Available here. 
  • Learning How to See: How do we transform and transcend our biases? A discussion of how seeing is social, political and contemplative.  Information and presentations available here. 
  • Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories.  They’re not stupid.  By John Ehrenreich for Slate Magazine, Jan. 11, 2021.  Available here. 
  • How to Ensure This Never Happens Again.  The election and its aftermath have revealed weaknesses in our democracy.  Here’s how we can fix some of them.  By Beverly Gage and Emily Bazelon for the NY Times, Jan. 8, 2021.  Available here. 
  • Time for Consequences.  By James Fallows for The Atlantic, Jan. 10, 2021.  Available here. 
  • The American Abyss.  A historian of fascism and political atrocity on Trump, the mob and what comes next.  By Timothy Snyder for the NY Times, Jan. 9, 2021.  Available here. 
  • Hidden Brain – The Double Standard (48 minute podcast on NPR.)  We can easily spot the flaws in others but not in ourselves.  Interesting, insightful.  Available here. 
  • Citizens Uniting to Restore Our Democracy.  Author Daniel Kemmis has spent a life devoted to public service.  His website contains a wide range of information and resources.  Viewed here. 
  • The Flip Side.  Sponsored by Bridge Alliance, see both side of important issues – in 5 minutes a day.  Get the most thoughtful points from left, right and in-between across 30+ news sources every day.  Sign up here. 
  • All Sides.  Don’t be fooled by media bias and fake news.  Unbiased news does not exist; we provide balanced news and civil discourse. Here. 
  • Rebuilding Trust in American Institutions, by Sonal Shah & Hollie Russon Gilman, Stanford Social Innovation, Jan. 27, 2021. Available here. 

 

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Videos

  • Civil Discourse for Civic Engagement
  • Promoting Civil Discourse Highlights
  • Divided We Fall: Unity without Tragedy Documentary and includes discuss guides.
  • What Are the Facts? A national online debate sponsored by Braver Angels with the following premise:  Resolved:  The American system of government cannot function without its citizens’ subscribing to a share sense of reality. 
  • Live with the League:  Are All Votes Equal?  Sponsored by the LWV San Diego, featuring League members, Mary Thompson – explaining the history of the Electoral College and what our founding fathers were trying to achieve and avoid  - and Jeanne Brown – explaining the National Popular Vote Compact and League’s support for it; also exploring the myths and facts of the proposal – and Pam Wilmot, Common Cause VP of State Operations – speaking to the national efforts and the current status.  Is the red/blue map shown following each election part of our view of our divided country?  There’s a better way. 
  • Unhurried Conversations.  Check it out here.
  • Insurgency:  Interview on NPR Jan. 17, 2021 with Gen. Mark Hertling comparing Iraq with our current unrest in the U.S.  Listen/read here. 
  • Educating for American Democracy National Forum, moderated by Judy Woodruff and featuring leading scholars discussing the newly released Educating for American Democracy Roadmap and Report.  A thoughtful discussion, well worth your time.  View the forum here. Download the report here; the interactive roadmap here; and, the educator resources here. 
  • Empathy and Our Future, sponsored by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, featuring Eric Liu, co-chair of AAAS’ Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, and Sherry Turkle, author of The Empathy Diaries. While many in America are now debating accountability versus unity, there is another concept that belongs in any conversation about how America can recover from a divisive election, devastating pandemic, and long history of racial injustice – empathy.  View the discussion here. 

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Websites