Registration open through 11/7/2022 1:00 PM EST

The registration period has closed for this event.

Promoting Civil Discourse in the University Community

Presented by: Christopher Phillips, Ph.D. & Cecilia Chapa Phillips, M.Ed., Co-Founders of the Democracy Café

In an era of political polarization too often coupled with a demonstrated intolerance for a plurality of perspectives - nowhere more evidenced these days than on many college campuses - how can we cultivate, practice, and model the habit of civil discourse? What exact IS civil discourse? Can it involve impassioned argument and at times heated debate, or does it depend on the issue, and what's at stake? How do we best frame questions so that they tend to be more conducive to thoughtful exploration of a variety of points of view, and in ways that connect? Is there an 'art' to this? How do we best go about exploring questions, especially when they touch on 'hot button' topics?

While there are no 'magic bullets' to making college campuses hotbeds of freedom of expression and dialogue, there are nonetheless some time-tested ways of moving more and more in that direction.

This workshop strives to provide a roadmap to achieving a more healthy environment when it comes to freedom of expression and thoughtful dialogue - in tandem with one another - on the college campus.

The Lucas Center for Faculty Development

The Lucas Center supports activities that help you grow as a teacher. Most of our topics and programs are the result of feedback from the FGCU faculty community perception of needs. Our Center offers creative learning experiences focused in the areas of teaching, learning, assessment and scholarship. Watch for e-mails announcing activities that may interest you. Our goal is to be a consistent source of support to faculty by providing activities that are engaging, inspiring, practical, and useful. Stop by to say hello and see our wonderful space in LIB 221, affectionately known as “The Living Room.”