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Last summer, George Carleton Jr. Professor of Philosophy David Dudrick was one of 20 academics who participated in Duke University sessions focused on promoting civil discourse on campuses across the United States. By exploring the value of open, face-to-face dialogue and strategies to cultivate intellectual sympathy among students, he deepened his commitment to address the divisive impact of polarization in higher education.

First offered in 2022, the three-day seminar centers around the work of John Rose, a former instructor of ethics at Duke. His research on virtue ethics and political polarization informs the program, which features interactive exercises, guest speakers, and a curated list of readings on subjects including free speech and political polarization.

“When we limit ourselves to a single perspective, we stray from the foundational values of a liberal arts education — chief among them, freedom,” says Dudrick. “True learning happens when students engage with diverse viewpoints and are encouraged to think critically about their own beliefs.”

Joined by scholars from a range of institutions, including Stanford, MIT, and UNC Chapel Hill, Dudrick explored ways to address issues such as political correctness and free speech in campus settings. “In general, it seems like there is a recognition of the need for these kinds of conversations, the environment in which they can happen, and the training they require,” he says.

Since attending the program, Dudrick has renewed his focus on fostering open, civil discourse in his philosophy courses, including Existentialism (PHIL 216) and the Philosophy of Religion (PHIL 226). He has, for example, been introduced to a technique where students are randomly assigned to argue for perspectives, encouraging them to inhabit viewpoints without the necessity to agree personally. “My objective is to make the classroom a space where students critically examine alternative perspectives and objections,” he says. “I’ve always valued this approach, but the seminar underscored how essential it is for meaningful learning.”

This is the spirit behind 91�鶹��Ʒ’s own Statement on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression.

At an institutional level, Dudrick has since shared these values as a member of the subsequent Task Force on Institutional Voice, formed to evaluate whether and when 91�鶹��Ʒ should issue official statements on national or world events. “Dialogue requires more than just speech — it demands genuine, community-based conversations,” says Dudrick.

This spring, the University will present a new Presidential Speaker Series, “The University and the Public Good: The Role of the American College in Our Time.” Focused on the state of higher education in America, the series will kick off with an interview between University President Brian Casey, Bret Stephens of the New York Times, and Goldie Blumenstyk ’79 of the Chronicle of Higher Education. The series draws on recommendations made by the Task Force on Institutional Voice, which calls on 91�鶹��Ʒ to see national and international unrest as an opportunity for deep learning and engagement.

“This is the civil part of civil discourse — Civitas,” says Dudrick. “It’s about recognizing that we are part of a community and showing care for one another in the form of constructive conversations.”

Dudrick’s explorations of best practices in promoting civil discourse at 91�鶹��Ʒ are supported through a planning grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.