Dear Faculty RelationsÌý—ÌýI teach a class with controversial material. I’m nervous about handling subject matter that might blow up in my face, but I don’t want to skip these topics either. Help! — Worried ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä ControversyÌý

Dear WorriedÌý—ÌýFirst of all, yes. It can be daunting to handle hot-button topics any time, let alone near an election, and especially for faculty who do not have tenure. But isn’t it part of our mission to prepare our students to meet the challenges of our time?ÌýÌý

Here are some ideas for navigating controversy:ÌýÌý

  1. Co-create ground rules. Setting aside class time to talk about how you want to converse might seem like a distraction. But if your learning goals include developing skills for having difficult conversations, this is your course content.ÌýShared rules empower students to feel safe in disagreement. A rule that anyone can call a time out, for example, can help students to take a break when things get heated. And anyone can remind the group of its guidelines if the conversation veers off track.Ìý

  2. Listen to the silences. Who is not speaking? Whose body language suggests they may be withdrawn, frustrated, or shut down? What perspectives are not being voiced? Try checking in with your quieter students outside of class. Ask them open-ended questions that invite them to speak: What did you think of that conversation? Do you want to talk about it? Students often have great ideas about changes you can make to help them participate.Ìý

  3. Depersonalize conflict. You can also try to contain personal disagreements by keeping the discussion focused on shared texts and evidence. It can be less threatening for students to discuss the merits of a scholarly article than to disagree about their personal beliefs. Curating readings that offer thoughtful arguments from different perspectives can help students become better informed—and better able to talk—about controversial topics.Ìý

Written by Michaele Ferguson, Faculty Fellow for Women+ and A¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉäMent, Office of Faculty Affairs, and Associate Professor of Political Science.

FDS Newsletter, Sep. 2024.