Dialogue as Strategy: Advancing Democratic Learning in Polarized Times

Amid political polarization and shrinking space for open discourse, higher education leaders must protect academic freedom while modeling inclusive democratic practice. This session will explore dialogue not as a one-time event but as a long-term strategy for institutional leaders to embrace. Presenters include a vice dean at a large private university and an assistant director at a public health sciences and human services graduate campus who will share adaptable models from their distinct contexts and offer tools for embedding dialogue into leadership development practice. Participants will engage in reflection, explore real-world challenges, and discover resources from the Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center to support this work across diverse institutions.