Ep. 014: Civil Talk in Uncivil Times

This political season, and particularly the race for the White House, has injected an unprecedented amount of uncivil language and behavior to the national discussion. No matter who wins the November elections, it is unlikely to change anytime soon. How do you encourage students to discuss such shocking incivility in a civil way? This week, we sit down with Dr. Steve Hunt, director of the School of Communication, to discuss strategies for exploring these important topics in class while avoiding hostility and ill will. We also explore how these discussions might impact your end-of-semester student feedback.

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Show Notes

Learn more about the School of Communication’s Social Media Analytics Command Center (SMACC).

An article from the Association of Psychological Science’s magazine, The Observer, offers further advice on moderating and leading contentious discussions in class.

The University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Teaching and Learning has some great guidelines for discussion difficult or controversial subjects.

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Download a transcript of this episode in Adobe PDF format.