Director of ELSCE Eric Beerbohm has been named senior adviser for civil discourse. In the new role, Director Beerbohm will launch a series of initiatives designed to advance constructive dialogue in classrooms and seminar halls across the FAS.

The goal is to create environments where students can engage in civil disagreement and debate, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and understanding. Beerbohm plans to draw upon the Center's work on civil discourse and utilize tools such as the Design Studio for Ethics and Civic Pedagogy to support civility in academic spaces. Additionally, he envisions a new discussion/dialogue series, modeled on the Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Partnership Program, where participants, including faculty, will model civil discussion on significant moral and political issues.

The impact is expected to be seen in undergraduate courses, with efforts to embed civil discourse as a core value and expand partnerships with programs like General Education and Expository Writing. Success is envisioned as students engaging in ethically charged topics with opposing views while practicing genuine listening and respectful expression of diverse values. Read Harvard Gazette announcement here.