When facts are optional, democracy is impossible.
Little needs to be said about the state of democracy and divisiveness in the U.S. From the contested election to vaccine conspiracies, the chasm between fact and delusion widens like tectonic plates breaking at the seams.
For a disturbing segment of the population, “facts” are conjured from emotions and science is “radical left” propaganda. The hard work of deliberation, dialog, and determining fact from fiction is a dying art. And that is the real threat to informed dialog, a cornerstone of democracy.
But effective civic engagement requires more than posting on social media and tracking the ensuing battle in the comments, an incubator for unexamined views. Forming credible opinions isn’t about just feelings; we must all analyze facts, evidence, and assumptions before cementing our decisions. Developing these skills moves discussions away from reactivity and towards thoughtful deliberation. That said, we can’t discount emotion, especially when there are valid reasons for people’s feelings. Rather, we need to give people skills to get to the source of emotional reactions and make sense of them.
Here are some of the facilitation approaches I’ve found to be effective in my own work as an educator:
1. Lay the foundation with norms.
Regardless of the topic, discussions (especially in facilitated settings) are likely to be more effective when the basic ground rules are established. Here are some common norms:
Have people speak for themselves only, using “I” statements.
Don’t ask one person to speak for everyone in their demographic, i.e., “What do your people think about . . .?”
Use questions to clarify confusion: Can you help me understand . . . . I always thought that . . . , but now I’m hearing . . . .
2. Anchor discussions in shared values
Democratic principles such as justice and equal opportunity provide a strong foundation for thorny discussions. Paired with a commitment to intellectual honesty, these values provide a measuring stick to assess policies, decisions, issues, and their impacts on everyone. Questions include,
What evidence do we have that this decision/policy supports equal opportunity for all?
Who is impacted by this? Whose perspectives should we hear?
Are the benefits and negative consequences fairly distributed?
3. Model analysis skills
Strong facilitation helps people uncover the basis for their beliefs; evaluate evidence; and differentiate between opinions, anecdotes, and verifiable patterns. (This applied to teachers as well, especially if they’ve never been asked to truthfully examine their own assumptions.) Questions such as these can support this process:
What can we conclude from the evidence we have? What other information do we need?
What in your experience leads you to this conclusion?
What are other perspectives we need to hear?
4. Hold people accountable.
An open discussion doesn’t mean that anything goes. People need to understand the impacts of their actions. Here are strategies to help people do so:
Respond to inappropriate behavior by 1) describing impacts (When I hear that, I feel/think/wonder _____) and 2) seeking understanding (What in your experiences lead you to say that?).
Invite thinking about how behaviors may be received and interpreted differently than intended. “When you say X, people may hear it as Y. Is that what you intended?”
If person A dismisses or denies person B’s experiences, acknowledge A’s position, but challenge A to identify the blockages: I understand this has not happened to you, but what would it mean if [this injustice] was a reality for others?
President Biden ran on a platform of restoring the country’s “soul.” And while there is little chance of engaging those cocooned in conspiracy theories, people of good will have both an opportunity and an obligation to strengthen the skills that support a healthy democracy.
Looking for more ideas? I invite you to contact me.