Solidarity Dialogues | Academia

The Solidarity Dialogues | Academia seminar is a vital addition to academic work as it prepares students, faculty, and administrators to engage in difficult conversations, promote empathy and mutual understanding and create environments where diverse voices can be heard. By honing these skills, participants will not only enhance their professional competencies but also deepen their commitment to social justice and peace.

Academia Project Description

Since October 7, universities have faced increased tensions, polarization, and fear among students, faculty, and administrators due to the intensification of geopolitical conflicts. This has disrupted academic environments, silenced open discourse, and fostered an atmosphere of self-censorship. Students, for example, feel compelled to align with particular viewpoints, fearing reprisals for expressing contentious opinions. This climate constrains intellectual exploration and diminishes the perceived safety on campuses, leading to heightened anxiety and insecurity among academic members. Palestinian and Jewish students fear wearing cultural symbols, such as the keffiyeh and kippah, due to concerns about being targeted. This fear undermines the sense of security and belonging that universities should provide.

The rise in hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim/Palestinian communities has further strained interfaith relations, hindering collaborative efforts between different communities. The polarization of views creates a stark "us versus them" dynamic, overshadowing those seeking a middle ground. Social media has exacerbated the spread of misinformation, leading to biased perspectives and entrenching polarized viewpoints.

To address these issues, creating spaces for brave and safe dialogue is crucial. These spaces allow students to share their experiences without fear of judgment, fostering empathy, understanding, and collective resilience. The goal is to create sustainable mechanisms that promote solidarity and constructive discourse, ultimately enhancing the resilience of academic communities.

Building Solidarity Through Dialogue in Times of Conflict

The 6-hour seminar (divided into two 3-hour workshops) offers a learning opportunity and a practical approach to achieving these goals. It ensures that students, faculty, and administrators are well-prepared to meet the challenges of our increasingly polarized world.

Enhance Understanding of Polarization:

Participants gain a comprehensive understanding of what polarization is, how it manifests, and its impact on communities.

Develop Skills for Creating Safe Spaces

Participants learn practical strategies for establishing and maintaining safe spaces for dialogue, essential for fostering civil discourse and mutual respect.

Promote Empathy and Mutual Understanding

The seminar emphasizes the importance of the development of mutual understanding and the resultant creation of empathy in resolving conflicts and building solidarity, providing students with techniques to promote these values in their work.

Integrate Dialogue Facilitation into Social Work Practice

Participants will be trained in facilitating inter-community dialogues, allowing them to apply these skills in various social work settings to promote healing and reconciliation.

Seminar Methodology

Interactive Lectures

The seminar begins with lectures that provide a theoretical foundation on polarization, the importance of safe spaces, and the role of academics in promoting civil discourse.

Solidarity Dialogues | McGill | School of Social Work
2024-2025

This initiative was launched in October 2024 with 281 students from the McGill School of Social Work participating, totalling over 60 hours of workshops. It immersed students across undergraduate, master’s, PhD, and professional certificate social work programs in the practice of facilitating and engaging in dialogue. This dialogue initiative provided valuable tools for their professional growth as social workers and for navigating conflict and barriers to dialogue within academic settings.

Co-facilitated by Dr. Amal Elsana Alhjooj and Brian Bronfman

Solidarity Dialogues | Concordia | What Kind of University Do We Want?
Spring 2025

This dialogue initiative focuses on collectively answering the question of what makes a healthy university environment. It provides the opportunity for students to engage in difficult conversations, promote empathy and mutual understanding, and create environments where diverse voices can be heard. The 6-hour workshop offers a learning opportunity and a practical approach to beginning to achieve these goals.

The vision is to develop this into a course for students, a professional development workshop for faculty and staff, and a professional development workshop for student leaders.

Co-facilitated by Dr. Naftali Cohn, Dr. Shelley Reuters, Dr. Rachad Antonius, and Dr. Patrice Brodeur

Webinar

With the rise in Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes in Canada, there’s a need to explore how faith communities can respond to and counter hate while building bridges. Feeling safe in the spaces where we walk, work, protest, pray, and learn is fundamental to living with dignity, something we can all agree on.

On February 21, McGill’s School of Social Work and PLEDJ convened a panel discussion to address these issues, featuring local Muslim, Jewish and Christian faith leaders. Speaking to students of the School of Social Work, they shared insights on:

Combatting discrimination through faith-based initiatives
The role of interfaith collaboration in building inclusive and resilient communities

More info