On December 5, 2023, Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics (ELSCE) Director Eric Beerbohm was appointed by FAS Dean Hopi Hoekstra to serve as Senior Advisor for Civil Discourse for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). His appointment has sparked a Center-wide effort to expand our longstanding work on civil discourse and utilize tools such as the Design Studio for Ethics and Civic Pedagogy to promote constructive dialogue, intellectual vitality, and civility both inside and outside of Harvard’s classrooms. The goal is to create environments where students can engage in civil disagreement and debate, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and understanding.
The Center’s work to improve civil discourse will be multifaceted and encompass both long- and short-term objectives. A key measure of success will be an increase in students’ ability to engage in ethically charged topics with opposing views while practicing genuine listening and respectful expression of diverse values.
Recent civil discourse work:
Harvard Dialogues
As part of a University-wide week of programming aimed at centering the values of civil discourse in preparation for a new semester, the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences are offering a series of events for faculty, staff, and students. View ELSCE/FAS Harvard Diologues details here.
Laying the groundwork
ELSCE Director Eric Beerbohm is currently engaged in a listening tour aimed at assessing faculty and stakeholder needs regarding civil disagreement. First steps also include assembling a University-wide faculty advisory committee whose feedback and guidance will assist in developing a comprehensive five-year strategy for strengthening discourse within FAS and the College.
Launching The FiVE
Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics launched a new Fellowship in Values Engagement, nicknamed The FiVE, in fall 2023. An initial cohort of 27 fellows was selected from among the tutors and proctors of all Harvard upper-level houses, first-year dormitories, and the off-campus Dudley Community. These residential spaces are at the heart of the Harvard student experience. With the assistance of ELSCE mentorship and resources, the FiVE will develop and deliver programming focused on fostering ethical reflection and a culture of civil discourse in their respective residential communities.
Supporting the Hotline for Israel/Palestine
The Center was pleased to support Shira Hoffer, an Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership (ICDP) senior fellow, in the creation of the Hotline for Israel/Palestine (HIP) in response to students’ questions and concerns regarding the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The hotline is intended as an educational resource offering transparent, multi-partisan, and dialogue-focused information. Its team of volunteers from diverse political, religious, and national backgrounds has responded to hundreds of inquiries to date. Learn more about HIP here.