Groningen, Netherlands

Developing Across Differences: (De)Polarising Dialogue

In the workplace, classroom and on our streets, everyday interactions increasingly provoke angry divisiveness. Red lines are drawn and redrawn between “Them” and “Us”, making civil discussion and respectful disagreements seemingly a thing of the past.

This course addresses the real-life issue of divisive rhetoric and polarized encounters in Europe—whether about the pandemic and self-expression, freedom of expression versus hurtful rhetoric, or otherwise.

Why should you attend?

This course will provide you with specific tools and activities that you—and your clients, colleagues, students and trainees—can apply in different polarized situations when non-constructive and, at times, destructive debate hijacks space for dialogue.

If you work with those who find themselves having difficulty explaining and advocating for their position and views, or are regularly met with opposition and resistance even in the face of science/facts, this course will show how to better adapt communication approaches to defuse tensions, maximize the chances of being heard, and achieve desired outcomes.

Course leader

Dr. Maja Nenadović

Target group

Level requirements
The DAD is for multipliers who help individuals, organizations and societies better recognize, appreciate and use differences as a way of better communicating, working and thriving together.

These are (in-house and external) trainers, educators, consultants, coaches, researchers, scholars, facilitators, HR staff, advanced-level (MA+) students, and professional development specialists with 5+ years of experience/study in the greater Differences field. Contact the organisers at ic@rug.nl or info@iddifferences.org for consultation about appropriateness and eligibility.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Participant profile
This course is for you if you are a consultant/trainer/multiplier/educator who helps those who:

- Have meetings/lessons/agendas that are ‘hijacked’ by stakeholders with extreme views;
- Experience increasingly heated and uncivil disagreements among colleagues, whether around political issues, current events, or otherwise;
- Are holding back from authentic engagement due to anticipated/actual discriminatory and hate speech remarks…or the fear of inadvertently giving offense.

Course aim

After this course you —and those you work with— will be able to:

- Immediately “dial down” the temperature in tense and intense verbal encounters
- Diagnose communication problems in real-time
- Engage in ‘on the spot’ strategic planning to transform communication and improve engagement
- Implement appropriate strategies for engaging in dialogue with those with (extremely) differing views and making oneself heard
- Respond to discriminatory remarks and/or hate speech with integrity and civility

Credits info

Workload
12 hours of in-class learning and active participation using experiential methods.

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 12 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Fee info

EUR 995: includes course and materials, optional evening programming