How the Danger Boat Productions and the Humphrey School are Teaching Students to Bridge Political Divides
This fall, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota launched its second year of Constructive Dialogue Orientation workshops — an initiative designed to help graduate students enter their academic journey with tools for listening, empathy, and civic engagement.
As Rachel Latham of the Humphrey School explained to PRX, the workshops respond to a growing disconnect: “We were sensing an inability to grapple with complex issues and different political points of view that were leading to people feeling canceled or unsafe in space together.”
Co-Founder and facilitator Tane Danger emphasized that disengagement can be more harmful than disagreement:
“It’s important for us to be able to have conversations even when we know we’re not going to agree… That’s actually valuable because we both have something to learn from each other.”
The program equips students to step into debates, discussions, and civic spaces not with fear of conflict, but with the skills to hold space for diverse perspectives.
🎧 Listen to the full PRX North Star Stories segment here.
Transcript
Chantel SinGs:
Recent acts of gun violence and political assassinations have sparked discussions across the nation and here in Minnesota about the importance of understanding differing beliefs and the need for respectful conversations. Before arguments turn to violence, it's important to create a space where people feel free to debate without the fear of retaliation. This fall, the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs began its second year of a new orientation program for graduate students. The goal is to help students learn how to talk with others who have differing opinions.
Rachel Latham:
We were sensing a disconnect between faculty and students, between students and students, and this inability to grapple with complex issues and relationships and different political points of view that were leading to people feeling canceled or feeling unsafe in space together.
Chantel SinGs:
That's Rachel Latham with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, who says the constructive Dialogue Orientation workshops are a great way for students to start off the school year Together,
Rachel Latham:
We're inviting people to enter into their graduate school experience with a mindset that is different than your typical grad school experience. How can we bring people together in conversation to grapple with issues and just hold space for different points of view that may not be heard otherwise?
Chantel SinGs:
A poll from the New York Times and Sienna College conducted a year after the murder of George Floyd showed that 55% of Americans say they have not spoken their opinions freely over the last year because they were concerned about retaliation or harsh criticisms. Tain Danger is one of the workshop facilitators.
Tane Danger:
A lot of folks choose not to participate or engage in dialogue at all because they don't want to go into a space where they think it is going to be antagonistic or angry or frustrating, and so they simply check out. They don't speak up and participate. They don't engage with folks who they think are going to have different points of view at all.
Chantel SinGs:
Tein says that choosing not to have conversations can be a bigger problem than arguing, because while fighting and yelling are not ideal, he says at least those people are still part of the conversation.
Tane Danger:
It's important for us to be able to have conversations and talk to each other even when we know we're not going to agree. At the end of it, we can sit respectfully, listen to each other. I have my point of view on this and you have your point of view on this, and those are different, and that's okay. That's actually valuable because we both have something to learn from each other.