This 2011 book, edited by Roger A. Lohmann and Jon Van Til, focuses on how public deliberation and group discussion can strengthen the foundations of civil society, even when the groups engaged in debate share a history of animosity. Scholars have begun to study the dialogue sustaining these conversations, especially its power to unite and divide groups and individuals. The twenty-four essays in this collection analyze public exchanges and the nature of sustained dialogue within the context of race relations, social justice, ethnic conflicts, public-safety […] (continue)

Written by NCDD director Sandy Heierbacher to expand upon the text on our “What Are Dialogue & Deliberation?” page. This resource provides enough details to enable you to decide which of these leading dialogue and deliberation methods you should learn more about. In addition to looking at which methods fit your intentions, you will need to consider which methods are aligned with your resources, timeline, and the people you feel need to be involved. The text below is drawn from NCDD’s Engagement Streams Framework. AmericaSpeaks […] (continue)

The theme for Arsalyn’s 2007 annual youth conference, which took place in D.C. August 9-12, 2007, was “Bridging the Partisan Divide: Rediscovering Deliberation,” and NCDD was proud to play a major role at the event. Arsalyn invited 150 young people ages 16-20 to the 2007 conference to learn the art of political deliberation. This event is part of a series of conferences geared toward helping young people – especially politically active youth – develop skills that will help them communicate effectively with those of opposing […] (continue)

At the 2008 National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation, we focused on 5 challenges identified by participants at our past conferences as being vitally important for our field to address. This is one in a series of five posts featuring the final reports from our “challenge leaders.” Inclusion Challenge: Walking our talk in terms of bias and inclusion. What are the most critical issues of inclusion and bias right now in the D&D community and how do we address them? What are the most critical […] (continue)

Len and Libby Traubman have been organizing Jewish-Palestinian dialogue in the San Francisco Bay area for over a decade. Their website features a 'how to' page on initiating Jewish-Palestinian dialogue groups, as well as many great articles and links. The Traubmans have spawned many similar, yet diverse groups in the Bay area, and their ideas have spread into new cities and campuses. (continue)

The Restorative Gentrification Listening Project seeks to understand the harms of gentrification by listening to the stories of those most directly impacted and then working to repair the harm and prevent further harm. "Gentrification" is the purchase and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income people, thus improving property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses. This project of Portland's Office of Neighborhood Involvement is run by NCDD member Judith Mowry. The project uses restorative listening circles to address issues of racism and social injustice in order to build community and cultural understanding and to find ways to act together to include and value all members of the community. (continue)

Len and Libby Traubman keep hundreds of people inspired and updated on Jewish-Palestinian dialogue efforts around the world through their e-newsletter and website. (continue)

Inspiring 10-minute VHS or PAL format video of 2002 MSNBC coverage of the long-running and much-duplicated Jewish/Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group convened by Libby and Len Traubman in San Mateo, California. View this and other videos covering Jewish-Palestinian dialogue at traubman.igc.org/stream.htm. (continue)

The New England Center for Civic Life (NECCL) at Franklin Pierce College is a consortium of individuals and organizations across New Hampshire and beyond working together to help students and citizens develop a more responsible public voice and work more effectively together to strengthen their communities through the understanding and practices of deliberative democracy. (continue)

This 52-minute documentary video production chronicles a 4-year-old campus dialogue project on diversity issues which has engaged students, faculty and staff both in and outside the classroom in a unique type of public discourse that is patterned on the National Issue Forums. The video tells the story of how policy-oriented deliberative forums and the related practice of 'sustained dialogue' helped change a rural New England college campus from a state of racial conflict and crisis to one of increased tolerance and respect for diversity. The video captures the experience of what it is like to be a participant in these dialogue groups and explains how such experiences educate and transform those involved. (continue)