The Civic Gym: Learning to Deliberate Beyond Red Versus Blue cover art

The Civic Gym: Learning to Deliberate Beyond Red Versus Blue

The Civic Gym: Learning to Deliberate Beyond Red Versus Blue

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Graham Bullock, political scientist and director of the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative at Davidson College, joins When We Disagree to explain how meaningful dialogue can break free from today’s “polarization vortex.” He shares how structured, intergenerational conversations about complicated topics can turn simple political binaries into rich, multi-perspective debates. Graham introduces “deliberative dispositions” like humility, courage, empathy, and curiosity as the foundation of healthy disagreement. He also explores when we need dialogue, when we need debate, and how both lead to wiser collective decisions. Ultimately, he argues that practicing disagreement is like going to the civic gym, and it’s essential for a hopeful democratic future.

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