Civil Dialogue

Civil dialogue is the practice of engaging in ethical, political, and practical reasoning with others in response to the problems of civic life. In a pluralistic society, people hold competing views about justice, the common good, and what it means to lead a flourishing life. These disagreements are core features of democracy, rather than regrettable problems to be eliminated.

The challenge is to engage in disagreement in ways that are constructive, honest, and grounded in respect for our shared humanity. When practiced well, civil disagreement enables individuals to:

clarify their own moral and political commitments,
recognize the reasonableness of alternative points of view,
and acknowledge the complexity of society’s most pressing challenges.

At the heart of civil dialogue are three foundational pillars:

student facing another student practicing active listening

Student facing another student talking and practicing active listening

Respect for Persons

The ability to recognize the dignity and humanity of those with whom we disagree

Student and Professor having dialogue at a Disagree with your Professor event

Intellectual Humility

The capacity to acknowledge the limits of one’s own understanding and remain open to new ideas and perspectives.

students engaging in civil dialogue outside

Moral Courage

The strength to articulate one’s convictions sincerely and to engage with difficult questions honestly.

Our Center provides students with the opportunity to refine the skills necessary for productive civil disagreement through a variety of tailored programs:

Four columns of participants in the Summer Frosh Dialogue program

Summer Civil Dialogue Program

Over the summer, new incoming students are invited to join peer-facilitated small group discussions to begin building the skills necessary for active participation in campus discourse, for robust intellectual growth, and for engaging in conversations with diverse perspectives.

Link to Summer Civil Dialogue Program

Stanford's team holding semi-finalist trophy for Ethics Bowl

From left to right: Emma Katherine Muller, Bree Chang, Anjali Krishna Vadlapatla, Aarush Santoshi, Jorge Ramos, Ariana Duduna

Ethics Bowl Program

Ethics Bowl is an intercollegiate case study competition focused on tackling complex moral dilemmas. Teams of six undergraduates present arguments on a wide range of topics, from the ethical constraints of protest to the design of content moderation policies on social media platforms.

Link to Ethics Bowl Program

Stanford's ICDP Fellows and Collin Anthony Chen standing in a group in front of a building

Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership (ICDP) Fellowship

The Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Program Fellowship (ICDP) is a year-long hybrid experience, beginning in the summer, that develops students' abilities to engage in and lead conversations about difficult, important topics across political difference at their respective universities and beyond.

Link to ICDP Fellowship

South Asian student in sunglasses points his finger at the unseen professor across a table outside

Photo by Patrick Beaudouin

Disagree with a Professor

The Disagree with a Professor program seeks to connect students and faculty and provide an opportunity for spirited dialogue about provocative ideas.

Link to Disagree with a Professor