CoursesCivil Dialogue Seminar: Civic Engagement in a Divided Nation
URBS 245/EDUC 244/COMM 244

Civil Dialogue Seminar: Civic Engagement in a Divided Nation

The goal of this course is to help students develop concepts, tools, dispositions and skills that will help them engage productively in the ongoing experiment of American democracy. Civil dialogue is an aspiration, a theory and a practice—and one of the most misunderstood terms in contemporary political life.

Tues., 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Our goal is for you to learn concepts, tools, dispositions and skills that will help you engage more effectively in the ongoing experiment of American democracy. These will also equip you to hold more productive conversations with family, on campus, online and at work.

This is an experiential seminar driven by discussions about issues that matter to you and by exercises where you and your classmates will test out the concepts you are learning. The seminar will integrate wellness concepts and exercises.

Your capstone project will allow you to design a civic dialogue around an issue that you care about. If you want to try to carry out your capstone idea in the real world, you can apply for money and help to do that through the Red and Blue Exchange, a Paideia program.

Working Syllabus

Other Courses of Interest

ENGL 0361.401/ COML 0361 / RELS 0361

First-Year Seminar Collecting and Collectors

Instructor(s)

  • Emily Steiner

Semester

Fall 2025

This first-year seminar examines theories and histories about the art, religion, psychology, ethics, economics, and politics of collecting.

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URBS 1400 - 301

Inequity and Empowerment: Urban Financial Literacy

Instructor(s)

  • Brian Peterson

Semester

Fall 2025

This course provides students with a rich look at the historical and contemporary factors that have shaped America’s wealth gaps. By studying the economic impacts of systemic forces such as discriminatory housing, predatory lending, and unbanking, students will develop a deep financial understanding of today’s urban communities.

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