Contributed by Jessica O’Hara.
In the English Department, we teach a number of communication modes for the 21st century. The instructors of Rhetoric and Civic Life have added yet another communication genre to our repertoire: conversation and deliberation.
We all know that the state of deliberation in this country is pretty abysmal. Indeed, Penn State recently founded The McCourtney Institute for Democracy and The Center for Democratic Deliberation in part to educate students and citizens alike in how to talk to one another about today’s pressing issues.
With the support of The Center for Democratic Deliberation, the instructors of Rhetoric and Civic Life, Cynthia Mazzant, Mary Miles, Teresa Hamilton, Kate Rosenberg, Jan Babcock, Jessica O’Hara, Steve Fonash, and Greg Coles, prepare their students to host Deliberation Nation, a series of more than 50 public deliberations taking place between February 22-March 4.
The students choose the topics, learn how to frame the issue effectively (which is the hardest part), research the issues, publicize their events, and moderate the discussion.
Check out the schedule and plan to attend a session or two! It’s a great event to publicize to your students as well!
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