Engaging Across Difference: What Makes it Hard, and Why We Should Do It Anyway

Can we build community without learning how to disagree? In a deeply polarized society, efforts to foster civil discourse face strong headwinds. This keynote, delivered by Christopher Chapp and Kelly Shirah from St. Olaf’s Buntrock Institute for Freedom and Community, explores what makes dialogue across difference difficult, why it matters, and why developing the capacity to navigate challenging conversations is essential to learning, community, and civic life.