TRANSFORMATIVE DEBATES ON CAMPUS
TRANSFORMATIVE DEBATES ON CAMPUS
Community of Inquiry (CofI) is an Arts & Humanities Research Council-funded project which seeks to make difficult conversations on complex topics feasible and productive by providing a systematic approach that gives agency and voice to students and staff. Through its practical model, the project seeks to foster a greater understanding of how to manage freedom of expression and mutual understanding across the university sector and in society.
The Community of Inquiry approach was first developed by pragmatist philosopher C.S. Peirce. It is a systematic approach to honest discussion in which every move is made explicit. This serves to also make explicit the implicit assumptions behind conversations, which helps to uncover structural and personal biases. Having understood the framework, participants begin by establishing for themselves a set of ground rules and procedural values through which they confront and overcome potential pitfalls (Scott-Baumann and Perfect 2021). This interactive collaborative approach often causes exasperation and necessitates compromise, but it leads to deal-making that promotes mutual understanding and recognition. It thus seeks to dismantle the binary debates we often fall into. Through it, students will also generate their own injunctive norms for desirable behaviour in discussions, offline and online. Fundamentally, by developing communal meaning-making that facilitates different view-points and accepts a range of beliefs and an appreciation of inclusivity, it initiates participants in deliberative democracy.
The Community of Inquiry approach can be adapted for academic debate in class, students’ union discussions about freedom of speech policies, or in student societies about difficult topics. It can also be adapted to any civic situation where there is strong contestation of views.
The Community of Inquiry project is based at SOAS and is led by Professor Alison Scott-Baumann together with Professor Adam Sutcliffe (King’s College), Professor Tarek Al-Baghal, Dr Mukta Das, Dr Yenn Lee, Dr Hina Shahid, Peter Baran, Hasan Pandor and Julia Stolyar.
Learn more here.
cofi@soas.ac.uk
EVENTS
REGISTRATION OPEN! Community of Inquiry Training #4 with Professor Alison Scott-Baumann
- 14:00
- SOAS Room 4429
Why do some topics seem off-limits for discussion? Is avoiding them simply the best solution? Does that sustain harmony or exacerbate fragmentation? How will people come to understand each other? Who then controls the narrative? Is social media really the only place you can openly express your views? If you are grappling with these complex contemporary realities, and want a way forward and out, Professor Alison Scott-Baumann and her AHRC-funded research team are offering their fourth training workshop on Community of Inquiry approaches on 18 May 2022 in-person on campus from 14.00-16.00 in room 4429 (main building). The session will help you develop practical skills to facilitate ‘difficult conversations’ – skills that will be valued in your higher education teaching portfolio, if you decide to apply for an HEA Fellowship. We welcome both new participants and attendees of previous workshops. This training workshop is for SOAS students only. For questions, please contact cofi@soas.ac.uk
FULLY BOOKED! Community of Inquiry Training #3 with Professor Alison Scott-Baumann
- 12:00
- SOAS Room 404
This training workshop will equip you with the skills to discuss today's most challenging topics with any group of people. About this event Why do some topics seem off-limits for discussion? Is avoiding them simply the best solution? Does that sustain harmony or exacerbate fragmentation? How will people come to understand each other? Who then controls the narrative? Is social media really the only place you can openly express your views? If you are grappling with these complex contemporary realities, and want a way forward and out, Professor Alison Scott-Baumann and her AHRC-funded research team are offering their third training workshop on Community of Inquiry approaches on Monday 07 March from 14.30 to 16.30 on campus (30 Russell Square, Room 404). The session will help you develop practical skills to facilitate ‘difficult conversations’ – skills that will be valued in your higher education teaching portfolio, if you decide to apply for an HEA Fellowship. This training workshop is for SOAS students only. For questions, please contact cofi@soas.ac.uk.