Common Ground Dialogues
Common Ground Dialogues enable students to engage with their peers in a way that help prepare them to live and work in a diverse community and society. These dialogues are peer-led and provide opportunities for students to (a) learn how to engage in dialogue about controversial topics with people who have views or identities that are different from their own, and (b) learn about the importance of working toward common ground through a consensual decision-making process that highlights mutual understanding in the midst of potentially irreconcilable points of view. Additional goals include helping students to learn about the complexity of multicultural identity and dilemmas, and enhancing capacity for viewing an issue through the eyes of another.
One-session and four-session dialogues are offered at various times in the semester and are connected to several Syn*Quest courses. Topics are determined based on current events and student interest. Some previous dialogue topics have included: Diversity at Maryland, The N Word, Hooking Up Culture, and Celebrities as Role Models.