Deliberative Dialogue

Seek a Shared Understanding

Deliberative dialogue is method of thinking and talking together. It is a way for individuals from varied backgrounds and perspectives to come together to seek a shared understanding of problem or issue and search for common ground and action. Trained individuals (i.e. students, faculty, staff, and community members) moderate the dialogue and use an issue guide to help frame the issue by presenting the overall problem/ concern followed by three or four broad approaches to the issue. Participants work through the issue by considering each approach examining appeals, concerns, costs, consequences, and trade-offs for each approach.

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Past Topics & Program Background

Since 2017, Ferris State University has promoted deliberative dialogue as a tool for building bridges and continued conversation on difficult topics. We have trained over 100 students, faculty, staff, and community members to moderate in the National Issues Forum deliberative dialogue method.

Each dialogue is different. As a campus, we have hosted dialogues that included as few as 20 people to as many as 180 people. Each topic is complex with many stakeholders, which can make it difficult to discuss. However, by actively thinking and listening to one another in order to hear multiple perspectives, we can create actionable steps to move forward as individuals and as a campus.

Past Topics

Youth & Opportunity: What Should We Do for Future Generations to Thrive?
Free Speech and the Inclusive Campus: How Do We Foster the Campus Community We Want?
Policing: What Should We Do to Ensure Equal Justice and Fair Treatment in Our Communities?
A House Divided: What Would We Have to Give Up to Get the Political System We Want?
Immigration: Who Should We Welcome? What Should We Do?
First-Gen Students: Keeping You Successful, What Should We Do?
What Should We Do about the Opioid Epidemic?
Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence?
Economic Security: How Should We Take Charge of Our Future?
Health and Wellness: Stress, Anxiety, and Depression- How Can Society Better Understand and Support Mental Health and Wellness?