Inclusive and Restorative Dialogues
Tufts University, founded in 1852, was envisioned as a “light on a hill” Pax et Lux- Peace and Light). In seeking to understand and demonstrate ‘peace and light,’ faculty, staff, and students at Tufts work together to illuminate each other and the world. Dialogue encourages communities to move toward ‘peace and light’ by considering what these words mean in action, perhaps especially in a diverse and polarized world. Dialogic practices at Tufts create pathways for understanding and connection between community members, even when differences of opinion and lived experiences remain.
Dialogic practices at Tufts create pathways for understanding and connection between community members, even when differences of opinion and lived experiences remain.
Dialogue has many purposes and every person is encouraged to think critically about its impact. It is appropriate to consider several approaches and think critically about the purpose of engaging in dialogue. Dialogue can help us:
- Deepen understanding of each others' experiences and views
- Center groups that have been historically marginalized
- Prepare a group to address a common problem
- Broaden the range of ideas of a topic under consideration
- Counter negative stereotypes
- Build trust as a precondition for critical inquiry and debate
- Motivate participants to work for change
Resources
The concept and practice of dialogue has existed at Tufts University for decades. The following toolkit is part of a larger institutional strategy to create pathways for understanding and connection between community members, even when differences of opinion and lived experiences remain. In the toolkit, you will find an overview of dialogue at Tufts, including definitions, frameworks, and resources, to help you identify opportunities to engage with these practices in our community.
Programs
In the Spring of 2024, the University launched an initiative called Tufts Talks Openly to open our lines of communication in the spirit of dialogic practice. Our expanded dialogic programs offer community members opportunities to engage in learning across differences to create a more inclusive university. We invite you to explore these opportunities below. Our office can also provide dialogues for your team or unit. If this is something you’re interested in or you would like to speak to an IIE team member about dialogic practices please fill out our consultation form.
For Faculty, Staff, and Students
The Tufts Inclusive Education Series is a workshop and dialogue series designed to equip all Tufts community members with the knowledge and tools needed to mitigate various forms of bias. These educational workshops offer a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of discrimination while learning practical steps to advocate for positive change. The following are the goals for the educational workshops:
- Provide introductory education sessions on the history of bias related to specific identities.
- Provide actionable steps faculty, staff, and students can take to mitigate behaviors rooted in bias on campus.
- Provide context for how all forms of hate are interconnected and intersectional.
- Encourage faculty, staff, and students to bring a greater sense of curiosity and empathy to their interpersonal relationships on campus.
This series is only an entry point for continued work in community with one another. To that end, following each workshop, our office will hold a dialogue opportunity for participants who engaged with the session to process what was learned and build understanding of their peers’ lived experiences related to the session. In this time, participants will be in dialogue with their peers who may hold different perspectives. These spaces will be structured, focused, and led by staff and/or faculty with experience facilitating dialogue across differences. This series will continue beyond this academic year to address additional forms of bias.
Save the date for the following TIES workshop sessions. Stay tuned for additional details including registration form.
Session 4: Tools and Strategies for Addressing Political Polarization
Workshop: February 13, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Click Here to RSVP
Event description: Join us for a panel discussion with Tufts faculty members on how to engage differences across the political spectrum. Attendees will be invited into a dialogue following the session to reflect on the panel and build understanding of other people’s lived experiences related to this topic.
Session 5: TBD
Workshop: April 3, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Session 6: TBD
Workshop: April 24, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
For Faculty, Staff, and Students
Tufts Table is a community dinner that is free and open to students, faculty, and staff from across all four campuses (Boston, Grafton, Medford/Somerville, and SMFA). Sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence in collaboration with faculty, staff and student leaders across our four campuses, Tufts Table provides community members, who might not otherwise cross paths, with the opportunity to make connections and share perspectives on a variety of subjects impacting our community. These subjects include: exploring our intersectional identities, finding a sense of belonging at Tufts, and creating a more inclusive community.
Please contact diversity@tufts.edu with any questions about this event.
Stay tuned for upcoming Tufts Table events by subscribing to the IIE Newsletter.
"Let's Talk About Race” is a learning series that engages Tufts employees in the process of interrogating individual and collective sociological foundations of race and thinking critically about how this impacts our interpersonal relationships. This series supports community members in understanding how to address racism in their daily lives by changing systems, organizational structures, policies, practices, and attitudes in a way that redistributes power and creates more equitable policies and structures. This program is for Tufts faculty and staff and runs for eight weeks (90 minutes each week on Zoom)