COM 200 Dialogue Across Difference
This course aims to empower participants to live in society with genuine respect and mutual care for themself and others. In order to meet this challenge, we must be able to understand how dialogue functions in everyday life as well as difficult conversations. Throughout the course, you will learn how to initiate a productive dialogue that fosters learning and understanding rather than debate through the following framework: learning the basics of dialogue, enabling critical thinking, and utilizing these skills to navigate diversity in a thoughtful manner.
The Dialogue Institute and the Journal of Ecumenical Studies share a common purpose—to advance intercultural dialogue and promote democratic values by supporting scholarship, training, and action.
Through local and international programs, our organization engages religious, civic, and academic leaders in practicing the skills they can use to transform conflict while building and sustaining relationships across lines of religion and culture. We provide resources and create networks for scholarship and action that value difference and foster human dignity.
During this self-paced course, you will:
- Define dialogue, and apply it to your daily life
- Gain tools to work across cultural differences
- Study frameworks for addressing conflict
- Learn how to effectively communicate within diverse communities in a way that fosters trust and supports peacebuilding initiatives
Participants are encouraged to learn from others’ perspectives and see themselves as an active participant in a larger society.
High School, College, Professional Development
Civic Education for the Common Good
We apply the U.S. Department of Education’s Consensus Statements about Constitutional Approaches for Teaching about Religion
▸ Our approach to religion is academic, not devotional;
▸ We strive for student awareness of religions, but do not press for student acceptance of any religion;
▸ We sponsor the study about religion, not the practice of religion;
▸ We expose students to a diversity of religious views, but may not impose any particular view;
▸ We educate about all religions, we do not promote or denigrate any religion;
▸ We inform students about religious beliefs and practices, it does not seek to conform students to any particular belief or practice.
We apply the American Academy of Religion’s “Religious Literacy Guidelines”
▸ “Religious Literacy Guidelines for College Students.” American Academy of Religion, 2019.
▸ “Teaching About Religion: AAR Guidelines for K-12 Public Schools.” American Academy of Religion, April 2010.
We apply the National Council for the Social Studies C3 Frameworks for Religious Studies
▸ College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards, “Religious Studies Companion Document for the C3 Framework.” Silver Spring, MD: National Council for the Social Studies, 2017.
