Guidelines for Civil Discourse

Skills for Engaging in Civil Discourse

Skill 1:  Discourse Differentiation 
Know the type of conversation in which you are participating. Depending on the medium, academic discussion, debate, dialogue, deliberation, and social media have different conversational structures, dynamics, purposes, audiences and impacts. Ensure all participants know how the medium and setting impact the aims and outcomes of the civil discourse they are engaging in and recognize that each approach has strengths and limitations based on the context. 

Skill 2:  Openness to Inquiry 
Approach discourse with curiosity and an openness to new learning. Learning comes from expanding our comfort zones. Aim for being brave rather than being comfortable. Expect your worldview to be challenged and demonstrate respect and humility while challenging others. Consider more than two perspectives on an issue and remain open to questioning your own beliefs and assumptions before concluding. Remember that everyone is at a different place in their education and awareness; providing people with space, grace, and leniency while learning is crucial in a healthy academic environment. 

Skill 3: Information Literacy 
Productive civil discourse requires the ability to find, organize, evaluate, and communicate information. We are responsible for using reputable and diverse sources of information backed by research, critical thinking, and moral and ethical reasoning. In evaluating claims, it is important to assess the reliability and credibility of information sources, critically evaluate the strength of hypotheses and arguments, and challenge dogmatic perspectives. While an academic community must support the freedom to question and express varying points of view, not every perspective or conclusion meets the standards and values of academic inquiry. 

Skill 4: Critical Thinking 
Human problems are complex, and people bring a diversity of perspectives to discourse. Because of these complexities, nuance can be lost–reducing issues to oversimplistic, dogmatic bottom lines that can minimize difference and increase polarization. Critical thinking requires appreciating these dynamics and resisting the oversimplification of ideas. Academic inquiry includes avoiding binary thinking and searching for nuance and complexity.  

Skill 5:  Recognizing Perspective Limitations 
Contribute to civil discourse as an individual and expect the same from others. A group representative can only speak on behalf of the group if they have been elected or appointed by the group to speak for them. No single person can speak on behalf of an identity group. 

Skill 6: Effective Listening 
Effective listening requires demonstrating respect to another person by listening to learn, understand, and recognize values. Effective listening advances essential components to positive discourse. 

Skill 7:  Empathetic Communication 
Empathy entails the ability to understand and relate to others. Empathetic communication is an important determinant of how well we communicate with each other. How your point is delivered is as important as the point itself. Practice self-regulation even as you share personal experiences and express yourself with strong emotions. Recognize the implications of your speech and the points you share, including the potential for harm. Remember that you are a member of an academic community and are responsible for being respectful and demonstrating care for all community members. 

Skill 8: Constructive Disagreement 
Institutions of higher learning have a duty to cultivate constructive disagreement; disagreement is neither good nor bad. Every campus community member contributes a unique value and viewpoint given their roles, identities, worldviews, and responsibilities. Collective agreement is not always achievable or desirable. Therefore, the quality of constructive disagreement depends on whether parties are respectful, open to listening, and whether they rely on sound rational arguments. 

Skill 9: Conflict De-escalation 
Evaluate situations to identify if oneself or others are ready to enter civil discourse, or whether self-regulation, co-regulation, support, interpersonal support, or leaving the situation are more appropriate initial steps in that moment. 

Skill 10: Conflict Management 
Normalize the process of participating in civil discourse. Disagreement and conflict are a normal and continuous part of life. Engaging in civil discourse and managing conflict are essential skills in modern society. 

Additional guidelines

• Recognize a person’s right to advocate ideas that are different from your own.
  “Democracy is a means of living together despite our differences. Democratic deliberation is an alternative to physical violence. It is predicated on the assumption that it’s possible to disagree agreeably, that it’s better to laugh than cry, that one can vigorously contest the positions of one’s adversary without questioning his or her personal integrity or motivation, and that parties to a debate are entitled to the presumption that their views are legitimate if not correct.” – Thomas Mann
• Show respect for others.
  • Discuss policies and ideas, not people.
  • Do not personally attack another person’s character.
  • Use helpful, not hurtful language.
• Speak as you would like to be spoken to.
  • Clarify how the person would like to be addressed (Mr., Ms., Sir, first name, etc.).
  • Restate ideas when asked.
  • Use a civil tone in responses.
• Agree to listen.
  • Respectfully hear and listen to differing points of view.
  • When unsure, clarify what you heard.
  • Realize that what you say and what people understand you to have said may be different.
  • Recognize that people can agree to disagree.
• Speak for yourself, not others.
  • Speak from your own experience.
  • Use “I” statements (“I think that the ideas presented…”).
• Follow agreed upon guidelines regarding who speaks when and for how long.

1. Always use respectful language when referring to others. 
2. Do not use language that is libelous, discriminatory, threatening, or harassing.  If you would not make the statement in person to somebody you respect, modify it accordingly. 
3. Your use of language should never be racially, ethnically, or sexually objectionable. 
4. Do not use social media to invade anyone’s privacy. 
5. Do not post individual images or recordings of anyone unless you know that they have consented to your doing so.  Do not assume or presume this consent; confirm it beforehand  with the person.
6. Do not disclose addresses or other personal or private information about other individuals. 
7. Avoid posting materials that are trademarked or subject to copyright.  When in doubt, use a link that will allow your audience to access the materials directly from the ownership source. 
8. Do not make statements that are not truthful.  You are entitled to express your opinion about many subjects, however if you are making “factual” statements, you need to be able to prove that it is true.  For example, you can express your opinion that the President of the University makes too much money; but you cannot say that they have “stolen” from the University. 
9. Do not transmit spam, advertisements, or solicitations for matters that are not work-related.  If you are transmitting emails seeking the support of your colleagues for a particular issue, you must say so and provide a means for recipients to “opt out” of receiving future emails on that subject. 
10. Never transmit information using another individual’s name or identity. 
11. Under no circumstances should you access a computer system without authorization by signing on to that system using another individual’s credentials.