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Georgetown University affirms the role of the university as a laboratory for free expression. It is our responsibility to foster the conditions for students that make open discourse and intellectual exploration not only possible but valuable and meaningful.

Opportunities

As higher education and Georgetown focuses on equipping students with the skills to seek common understanding within a polarized landscape, we've augmented our existing programming and developed new resources to support you in managing productive tensions in the classroom.

Related programs

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The Doyle Engaging Difference Program

The Doyle Engaging Difference Program encourages Georgetown students and faculty to address cultural, religious, and other forms of difference through learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom.

Learn more about Doyle open_in_new

Learning, Equity, Access, and Pedagogy (LEAP) Initiative

Georgetown’s Learning, Equity, Access, and Pedagogy Initiative, or LEAP, supports academic units to examine and strengthen the climate, content, and pedagogy of their teaching and learning environments and work toward the goal of building and sustaining inclusive learning experiences for their students.

Learn more about LEAP
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Starting points

  • Inclusive pedagogy toolkit

    In this toolkit, we offer concrete suggestions for designing inclusive, antiracist learning environments through five key interconnected aspects of teaching and learning relevant to all courses.

    Read the Inclusive Pedagogy Toolkit

  • Inquiry and Discourse Toolkit

    The resources curated here offer research and guidance on the importance of academic expression, deep inquiry, and dialogue as well as how to operationalize these values in effective ways.

    Read the Inquiry and Discourse Toolkit

  • Navigating challenging conversations

    Find practical strategies for preparing, managing, and reflecting on challenging conversations in the classroom in our faculty guidebook. We cover setting up guidelines and norms, maintaining a conducive environment, and self-preparation, plus strategies for unexpected conversations, intentionally-designed discussions, follow-up after class.

    Read the guide to Navigating Challenging Conversations open_in_new

  • Recordings and presentations

    We bring experts to campus to talk through a range of issues related to fostering productive, intellectually engaging, and challenging discourse in your class.

    Productive Tensions: Dialogue, Inquiry, and Academic Expression in the Classroom | Leila Brammer | April 2024 | Video open_in_new