Learning Conversations
Learning conversations facilitate reconciliation between small groups. They are structured events that address clashes between differing cultures and worldviews. The goal is to ease social tension by bringing opposing factions to the table.
The small group format allows individual members of opposing groups to express personal views. By tracing the history of their beliefs, they invite the other party into their world and echo the call to love even our enemies.
Members learn from each other; together they explore the true nature of the conflict. They give presentations that shed light on core conflict issues and brainstorm ways of overcoming differences.
Taming the Wolf Institute is currently planning learning conversations centered on a number of divisive issues. If you would like to structure your own learning conversation, contact us.
Conversation Topics
Catholic Social Teaching: Social Justice
Few issues spark more intra-Catholic debate than that over correct interpretation of Catholic social teaching. Too often, the debate masks shallow partisan politics. Too often, Catholics become pawns in a divide-and-conquer game of secular parties and interests.
In this proposed learning conversation we would present teachings found in Church documents and in the historical record. We would facilitate small-group dialogue between participants, allowing them to share life experience that has shaped their views. In working groups we would seek to identify collaborative approaches to political and economic problems that avoid adverse consequences associated with theories that oppose the Faith.
While a robust intellectual debate should continue at all levels, the learning conversation would address layers of hostility and misinterpretations that have arisen. It would address the influence of hidden third parties and political power maneuvers, leaving the field open for honest discussion of uniquely Catholic principles.
Islam & Catholicism: Peacemaking and Extremism
Islamist extremism presents a challenge for the world. In this learning conversation we would consider how to design realistic and practical peacemaking forums to address intolerant extremism. The event would focus on determining which aspects of conflict resolution must be integrated into a multi-faith forum so that real and lasting progress might be made.
Too often interfaith dialogue skirts the issue of extremism. The intolerance, hatred, and violence that arise from extremist versions of faith become the unacknowledged gorilla in the room. In this learning conversation such challenges become the focus. Participants will share their life experience in addressing difficult or seemingly intractable conflict, they will share their experience “wrestling with evil.” Out of this candid give-and-take we expect real world solutions to emerge.
Civility in Discourse: Polarization and Peacemaking
Many faith groups, among them Franciscans, have called for civility in discourse. However, almost none have offered a path to achieving such civility. Issues of intentional deception and planned civil unrest have not been taken into consideration—in other words, the causes of incivility go unexamined, making it nearly impossible to achieve the peace desired.
In this learning conversation participants will explore the task of analyzing conflict and detecting causes of escalation. Small groups will focus on techniques for surfacing covert or hidden intentions and getting the parties to the table. Personal experiences in addressing conflict and hidden influences will inform the creative problem solving that leads to practical methods of bringing about civility.
Immigration: Caring for our Brothers and Sisters
For decades conflict over immigration policy has simmered and then exploded. Few issues have raised such heated passions and few issues have so divided citizens. Rarely is the substance of a problem this intractable. The highly resistant nature of the impasse hints that all the causes of the conflict are not in plain sight. Hidden influences must be working behind the scenes for such intransigence to persist.
In this learning conversation we would explore our failure to correctly analyze the conflict and the parties. We would take a close look at all stakeholders and attempt to arrive at accurate statements of their interests. In small groups we would explore personal life experience that lends itself to creative problem solving. We would consider the nature of long-term impasse and the nature of hidden influences that keep conflict going when parties should be able to collaborate on creative solutions.
