Civil Dialogue

If factions are a feature — not a bug — of a society, creative conflict helps us design new ways forward.

How do we listen even when we are the most hurt? How do we disagree without disappearing?

At the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, changemakers explored what it means — and what it takes — to stay at the table during the most difficult moments. This conversation turns toward clues in history, reminding us that the institutions of today were once the result of creative innovation.

Taking inspiration from youth and the artistic community as sources of “research and development,” this conversation invites us to wrestle with tension rather than treating conflict as failure, allowing us to remain in relationship through our differences. Whether operating in small towns in a single U.S. state like South Carolina, or across multiple nations in the Middle East, panelists discussed the conditions that we can create in ourselves and in our communities to design new ways forward.

Conflict and Civil Discourse Action Roundtable

The Power of Dialogue: Key Takeaways from a Conversation between Dan Porterfield and Mary Louise Kelly

To find out if our economy is working for working people, we need more complete data — and better questions about the data we already have.