Early bird tickets will be available through May 1, so act quickly to secure your registration while rates are low. Registration rates increase by $50 after May 1, 2025.
This year’s conference theme is The Weight of Words: Navigating the Evolving Role of Dialogue in Polarized Times
We are living in an age of increasing polarization and anger in our public discourse often reinforces hostile modes of interaction with people who hold different viewpoints. This polarization has impacted our ability to work within and between communities. Dialogues help deepen understanding of personal, group and intergroup relationship issues. Many people across the nation and world are wrestling with questions about how to engage with others who do not share the same values and/or identities and feel helpless around authentic engagement when we can’t even agree on basic facts for an informed dialogue. Further, many wrestle with how we can support respectful, transformative dialogue in face-to-face meetings, online contexts, and in physical and virtual classrooms.
In addition to conference registration, check out our pre-conference options available as add-ons. These pre-conference sessions will take place in the afternoon of Monday, June 30 before regular conference programming begins that early evening with registration and a welcome social.
The two pre-conference options are the following:
(1) Dialogue Facilitation Skill Building for Challenging Times
Hosting difficult dialogues requires skilled facilitators to allow participants to be heard, address conflict, and create opportunities for greater understanding. During our challenging polarized times, these skills are even more essential. How do you support each participant wherever they may fall in their dialogue journey while doing your best to hold people accountable and prevent harm? This session will explore important concepts, like tracking group dynamics, balancing conflicting perspectives, and responding to critical events to build your capacity as a facilitator. 4 hours is a brief time to become a facilitator. Thus, this session is not an introductory facilitator workshop, but a booster shot and opportunity to build community with those looking to enhance their skills.
(2) Using Dialogue in Professional Spaces:
Join this interactive pre-conference workshop designed to strengthen your dialogue skills and advance transformative change in higher education. Tailored for professionals committed to justice, equity, and sustainability, this session equips you with practical tools to navigate challenging conversations, foster collaboration, and create inclusive spaces. Together, we’ll explore how dialogue can be a powerful catalyst for meaningful institutional and societal impact.