Facilitating Transformational Dialogues

This much-needed guide provides the specific skills and materials necessary to facilitate effective dialogues across identity differences.

We are living through arguably one of the most divisive times in our country and the world. People do not know how to communicate across differences in a way that advances the public good—from the international halls of power to local city governments to classrooms to family dinners. The consequences are devastating—from hate-fueled conflicts and mass shootings to teachers who do not know how to address problematic comments in the classroom.

This book responds to the urgent need to address complicated, intense, and oftentimes personal differences in a productive way. Written for both novice and experienced facilitators, it offers concrete materials to use in classrooms and other settings, along with anecdotes, vignettes, and hard-earned lessons based on the authors’ own experiences. By capturing conversations among leaders in the field and emergent practitioners, Facilitating Transformational Dialogues emanates optimistic energy and time-tested wisdom from the fields of Intergroup Relations and Intergroup Dialogue.

Book Features:

• ● A roadmap for school, university, and community leaders to navigate the implementation of dialogues.
• ● An exploration into why talking about power in intimate cross-identity dialogue settings is key to dismantling systems of oppression.
• ● A primer on the foundations of facilitation with specific suggestions for pre- and inservice teachers, professors, youth advisors, school administrators, business leaders, and everyone interested in promoting dialogue across difference.
• ● An extended conversation around intergroup dialogue that includes a chapter on well-being for facilitators.
• ● A range of strategies for implementing dialogues, from using peer, near-peer, teacher, or consultant-based facilitating frameworks.
• ● A curriculum that has been field tested in dozens of settings with high school and college students, faculty, professors, and community leaders.
• ● A dialogue between the founders of intergroup dialogue in higher education and emerging leaders in the field.
• ● A companion to Race Dialogues: A Facilitator's Guide to Tackling the Elephant in the Classroom by Donna Rich Kaplowitz, Shayla Reese Griffin, and Sheri Seyka

Stephanie D. Hicks is a lecturer at the Program on Intergroup Relations and a faculty affiliate of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan. Donna Kaplowitz is the LSA faculty co-director of The Program on Intergroup Relations at the University of Michigan, and coauthor of Race Dialogues: Tackling the Elephant in the Classroom.

“As this volume of essays demonstrates, dialogue (both intergroup and intragroup) is a uniquely powerful tool for bridging the empathy gap in our society. You can’t solve problems without talking about them. Learning how to have true dialogue is a necessary part of moving forward as a healthy society. Building the capacity of facilitators through resources such as Facilitating Transformational Dialogues is an important step toward achieving a more just world where everyone can thrive. The time is now.”
—From the Foreword by Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita, Spelman College

“These divisive and politically charged times call for strong resources that help us navigate the rough terrains of listening and understanding across difference. This book is a much-needed guide for anyone working to lead people in transformative dialogue for social change amidst challenges of power, privilege, and oppression.”
—Dorinda J. Carter Andrews, professor and chairperson, Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University

“This book is a gem! It allows readers to hear from the giants in the field of dialogue. It is an invaluable resource for facilitators in multiple fields as it covers scenarios and techniques that can be used in college classrooms, high schools, and workplaces. I highly recommend this book as a teaching resource.”
—Brighid M. Dwyer, vice dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion, University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences

“Hicks and Kaplowitz have assembled a tremendously useful text to assist those pursuing dialogue across difference in today's polarized world, especially in the name of social justice. I especially appreciated that the chapters address those wishing to develop different types of dialogue programs as well as those in the throes of facilitating dialogue. The well-being chapter is particularly welcome. All of our facilitators will soon have a copy!"
—Sherry Perlmutter Bowen, faculty director, Dr. Terry Nance Center for Dialogue, Villanova University

Contents

Foreword Beverly Daniel Tatum  ix

Acknowledgments  xi

Introduction  1

1.  Introduction to IGD: What Is IGD?  7
Kristie Ford and Kelley Maxwell

2.  Key Identity Concepts for IGD Facilitators to Know  15

Section A: Key Social Identity Concepts for IGD Facilitators to Know  17
Sara Crider and Danny Alvarez

Section B: Privilege, Power, and Oppression—Core Terminology  25
Christina Morton and Meaghan Wheat

3.  Intergroup Dialogue Facilitator Techniques  32

Section A: The Role of Facilitators  34
Deborah Slosberg and Monita Thompson

Section B: Equalizing Power Dynamics: Multipartiality, Dominant and Counter-Narratives  39
Christina Morton and Cesar Vargas-Leon

Section C: Challenging Dynamics in Intergroup Dialogue  47
Mark Chesler and Roger Fisher

4.  Models of Dialogue  60

Section A: Co-Facilitator Observations From Faculty and Staff Intergroup Dialogues  62
Erika Crews, Michael Kaplowitz, and Charles “charlie” Liu

Section B: Facilitating Race Dialogues With High School Students  70
Roger Fisher and Donna Rich Kaplowitz

Section C: Online Dialogues: Their Benefits and Facilitation Challenges  76
Anna Yeakley

Section D: Setting the Context for Dialogue in the Workplace  81
Trey Boynton and Taryn Petryk

Section E: Dialogues in Instructor Development  85
Tazin Daniels and Shana Schoem

Section F: International Dialogue  89
Alice Mishkin and Rima Hassouneh

Section G: Just Sayin’—Some Opinions About Facilitation  93
Charles Behling

Section H: Dialogue and Movement Organizing  98
Sariah Metcalfe

5.  Passing the Torch: An Intergenerational Dialogue About Dialogue  102
Participants:  
Founders: Pat Gurin, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ximena Zúñiga
Emerging Leaders: Emely Hernandez Rubio, Olivia “Ollie” Jayakar, Cesar Vargas-Leon, and Meaghan Wheat

6.  Well-Being and Facilitation  115
adrienne maree brown and Stephanie Hicks

Appendix A: Insight 1: What Is Intergroup Dialogue?  133

Appendix B: Insight 2: Learning to Listen  135

Appendix C: Insight 3: Developing Community Guidelines  137

Appendix D: Insight 4: The Four Levels of Oppression  139

Appendix E: Insight 5: Facilitator Personal Assessment Chart  141

Appendix F: Insight 6: The Master/Dominant Narrative, Counter Narratives, and Multipartiality  144
Adapted from the works of Janet Rifkin, J.D., and Leah Wing, EdD

Appendix G: Insight 7: Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation  146

Appendix H: Insight 8: Strategies for Managing Hot Moments in the Classroom  148

Appendix I: Insight 9: Microaggressions—A Primer  150

Appendix J: Insight 10: Interrupting Bias—The PALS Approach  152

Appendix K: Insight 11: How to Apologize—Re-Aact  154

Appendix L: Strategies for Facilitating Intergroup Dialogue Online  155
Anna M. Yeakley

Appendix M: IGD Facilitation: Some Suggestions  161

References  167

Index  173

About the Editors and Contributors  179