Courageous Dialogues

Courageous Dialogues: Moving Beyond Polarization is a three-year (2021-2024) Canadian applied research project that aims to identify best strategies, tools, and practices for overcoming polarization in various contexts, from home to work to our social circles and the public square. It is led by the Mir Centre for Peace at Selkirk College and Selkirk Innovates along with Capilano University and Vancouver Community College, and in partnership with three non-profits in the literacy and adult education sector, all located in British Columbia, Canada. The project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Overall goals of the project are to help build public awareness and understanding of what it takes to overcome polarization; to foster popular and political will to actively bridge divides; and ultimately, to help community members build the necessary skills to collaboratively address specific social, political, economic, and environmental problems in our communities. Currently, we are engaging community members as participatory researchers, helping us to identify best practices and curate a collection of the resources they have found most valuable, which we intend to share through an online digital roadmap. Questions, ideas, suggestions welcome!  For security reasons, please contact BI, and we will forward your message to Project Director, Jennie Barron.