Dialogue Topics

Each Empathy Circle has a topic. Here is a growing list of possible topics.

PROJECT: Topics for Empathy Circles (Google Doc)

Take the Topic Poll in Our Facebook Group

Select topics you are interested in and add new ones.

Possible Topics

  • I’ll talk about any topic.

  • Why do you identify as Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative, libertarian, Green, etc?

  • What are concerns, anxieties, or fears you have regarding the current political situation?

  • How might we bridge the social and political divides?

  • How might we support constructive dialogue?

  • Freedom of speech

  • How might we build a culture of empathy?

    • Why don't you like about the other side?

  • How to be a empathy circle co-facilitator and facilitator?

  • * Individualism vs collectivism

  • race,

  • sexuality,

  • gender,

  • Climate change, .Climate change. climate change,

  • Relationships,

  • the definition of violence

  • defining facts vs. opinions,

  • common use of "fact-pinions" in today's world.

  • Dialogues around specific policies or policy areas

      • environmentalism;

      • science;

      • education;

      • women's health/choice).

      • political self-identity

    • I'm most interested in seeing people from both sides empathize with each other and understand each other even if they disagree politically.

    • I'm also interested in learning and seeing

    • Gun control,

    • Immigration,

    • Black Lives Matter

    • Unconditional empathy,

      • Lack of empathy as an underlying issue behind our social issues and injustices and how we can create the culture of empathy in our communities to address them.

    • Money in politic

    • * Role of government as protector of a “true” free market

    • * Individualism vs collectivism

    • * Free speech and appropriate boundaries

    • * Role of racism, sexism, etc. In politics and policies (ex: affirmative action, criminal justice reform, etc.)

    • * Personal vs collective responsibility

    • --Definitions/Conceptions of property and its role in society

    • --Fears of worst case scenarios (eg fears of something like the Holocaust recurring, climate disaster)

    • --Relationship with land, animals, plants, water

    • --Indigenous resurgence and decolonization

    • --Relationship of psychology to political behavior eg in-group/out-group dynamics

    • --How to have a successful pluricultural society

    • --Problems with majority rule and moving towards a more consensual society

Dialogue Journalism

    • What do you think of the other community?

    • What do you think they think of you?

    • What do you want the other side to know about you?

    • What do you want to know about the other community?

1. Hate speech legislation

2. Government imposed censorship and its conflict with the bill of rights.

3. Chinas manipulation of genes to create, select, or eliminate specific characteristics in babies. Where should the line be drawn.

4. Finding a solution to drawing lines for districts, that doesnt involve a political upper hand.

5. White people The difference between being proud of historical achievements vs white supremacy