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Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton
and
Allison Briscoe-Smith
We encounter differences every day—differences in race, politics, gender, faith, and more. How can we connect across these differences, especially at a time of deep social polarization?
Read more
We encounter differences every day—differences in race, politics, gender, faith, and more. How can we connect across these differences, especially at a time of deep social polarization?
Read more
We encounter differences every day—differences in race, politics, gender, faith, and more. How can we connect across these differences, especially at a time of deep social polarization?
In this course, you will learn core research-based principles and strategies for fostering positive relationships, dialogue, and understanding across lines of difference. Created by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center (GGSC), the course offers best practices that draw on scientific findings and case studies from real-world programs. It will zero in on how these evidence-based strategies can be applied to the divisions and conflicts that show up in our everyday relationships and in various sectors, with a particular focus on university and college campuses. The course builds on the GGSC’s popular Bridging Differences Playbook, which has already been used widely by leaders in government, education, corporate, and other settings.
It is taught by Professors Allison Briscoe-Smith and Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton—gifted and engaging teachers who draw on a wealth of knowledge in the science and practice of bridging differences. Joining them are researchers and practitioners who have led efforts to bridge racial, religious, political, and other divides in higher education and other settings.
Learners who register for the Verified Track will receive additional guidance in developing their own programs for bridging differences, particularly on college campuses.
Join us to make real and resonant shifts in your life, community, or campus, finding new ways to connect across lines of difference.
The production of this course was supported by a generous grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, with additional support provided by the Einhorn Collaborative.
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/omf8rj/bridging
What's inside
Learning objectives
- What it means—and doesn’t mean—to “bridge differences,” and when it might be unwise or unhealthy to try to “bridge” with someone else
- Why bridging differences is valuable to individuals and communities, and is especially important in higher education
- How to identify, understand, and guard against some of your own biases and prejudices
- How to communicate in ways that foster understanding and deeper connection rather than exacerbate divides
- How to find commonalities and connection with people who might seem different from you
- How to foster and support positive interactions between members of different groups who might be at odds with one another
- What it means—and doesn’t mean—to “bridge differences,” and when it might be unwise or unhealthy to try to “bridge” with someone else
- Why bridging differences is valuable to individuals and communities, and is especially important in higher education
- How to identify, understand, and guard against some of your own biases and prejudices
- How to communicate in ways that foster understanding and deeper connection rather than exacerbate divides
- How to find commonalities and connection with people who might seem different from you
- How to foster and support positive interactions between members of different groups who might be at odds with one another
Good to know
Good to know
Know what's good ,
what to watch for , and
possible dealbreakers
Useful for improving social, cultural, and political discourse
Provides evidence-based strategies for reducing conflict and divisions
Helps understand and mitigate biases and prejudices
Encourages meaningful dialogue and connection
Taught by experienced and engaging instructors
Focuses on bridging differences and fostering positive relationships in university settings
Save this course
Save Bridging Differences to your list so you can find it easily later:
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Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Bridging Differences with these
activities:
Review Intergroup relations
Show steps
Review foundation information to efficiently bridge differences.
Show steps
-
Read textbook chapters or articles on intergroup relations.
-
Summarize key concepts and theories related to bridging differences.
-
Review case studies of successful intergroup dialogue and conflict resolution.
Review active listening skills
Show steps
Reinforces the importance of effective communication and understanding diverse perspectives.
Browse courses on
Active Listening
Show steps
-
Identify key principles of active listening
-
Practice paraphrasing and summarizing
-
Seek feedback on your listening abilities
Join a study group
Show steps
Engage in discussions and share insights with fellow learners to deepen your understanding.
Browse courses on
Collaboration
Show steps
-
Find a group of classmates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
-
Establish regular meeting times and a communication platform.
-
Prepare for each session by reviewing the course material.
Ten other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all 13 activities
Practice dialogue and active listening
Show steps
Develop communication skills essential for bridging differences.
Browse courses on
Communication Skills
Show steps
-
Find a partner with different perspectives or backgrounds.
-
Engage in structured dialogue using active listening and empathy.
-
Reflect on the experience and identify areas for improvement.
Facilitate a discussion on a controversial topic
Show steps
Provides hands-on experience in navigating potentially difficult conversations.
Browse courses on
Dialogue
Show steps
-
Choose a topic that respects diverse perspectives
-
Establish clear ground rules and expectations
-
Moderate the discussion, encouraging active listening and respectful exchange of ideas
Complete practice problems
Show steps
Reinforce key communication and conflict resolution concepts covered in the course.
Show steps
-
Review the provided practice problems.
-
Attempt to solve the problems independently.
-
Check your solutions against the provided answer key.
Attend a workshop on bridging differences
Show steps
Gain practical tools and strategies for fostering positive relationships across lines of difference.
Show steps
-
Research and identify relevant workshops.
-
Register and attend the workshop.
-
Actively participate in discussions and exercises.
Design a dialogue facilitation guide
Show steps
Develop your skills in facilitating productive dialogues across differences.
Show steps
-
Identify the purpose and objectives of the dialogue.
-
Research best practices for dialogue facilitation.
-
Create a structured guide that outlines the steps of the dialogue.
Compile a resource list on bridging differences
Show steps
Gather and organize valuable resources to support your learning and practice.
Show steps
-
Conduct research to find articles, books, and online materials on bridging differences.
-
Create a document or spreadsheet to compile the resources.
-
Categorize and annotate the resources for easy reference.
Attend a workshop on unconscious bias
Show steps
Increase awareness of personal biases to facilitate more objective interactions.
Browse courses on
Unconscious Bias
Show steps
-
Identify a relevant workshop or training program.
-
Attend the workshop and actively participate in exercises and discussions.
-
Reflect on the workshop content and develop strategies to mitigate unconscious bias.
Design a community outreach program
Show steps
Encourages students to apply course concepts in a real-world setting, promoting empathy and understanding.
Browse courses on
Community Outreach
Show steps
-
Identify a community need or issue
-
Develop a plan that outlines goals, activities, and evaluation methods
-
Partner with community organizations and stakeholders
Mentor a student from a different background
Show steps
Share knowledge and experiences while fostering understanding and empathy.
Show steps
-
Identify a student from a different background or perspective.
-
Establish regular meetings to provide guidance, support, and facilitate dialogue.
-
Share personal experiences and insights to bridge gaps and foster understanding.
Develop a plan for bridging differences in a specific context
Show steps
Apply course concepts to real-world scenarios and develop practical strategies.
Show steps
-
Identify a specific context where bridging differences is important.
-
Analyze the factors contributing to the differences and barriers to communication.
-
Develop a plan outlining strategies for fostering dialogue, understanding, and collaboration.
-
Present the plan to others for feedback and refinement.
Review Intergroup relations
Show steps
Review foundation information to efficiently bridge differences.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Read textbook chapters or articles on intergroup relations.
- Summarize key concepts and theories related to bridging differences.
- Review case studies of successful intergroup dialogue and conflict resolution.
Review active listening skills
Show steps
Reinforces the importance of effective communication and understanding diverse perspectives.
Browse courses on
Active Listening
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify key principles of active listening
- Practice paraphrasing and summarizing
- Seek feedback on your listening abilities
Join a study group
Show steps
Engage in discussions and share insights with fellow learners to deepen your understanding.
Browse courses on
Collaboration
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find a group of classmates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Establish regular meeting times and a communication platform.
- Prepare for each session by reviewing the course material.
Ten other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all 13 activities
Practice dialogue and active listening
Show steps
Develop communication skills essential for bridging differences.
Browse courses on
Communication Skills
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find a partner with different perspectives or backgrounds.
- Engage in structured dialogue using active listening and empathy.
- Reflect on the experience and identify areas for improvement.
Facilitate a discussion on a controversial topic
Show steps
Provides hands-on experience in navigating potentially difficult conversations.
Browse courses on
Dialogue
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Choose a topic that respects diverse perspectives
- Establish clear ground rules and expectations
- Moderate the discussion, encouraging active listening and respectful exchange of ideas
Complete practice problems
Show steps
Reinforce key communication and conflict resolution concepts covered in the course.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Review the provided practice problems.
- Attempt to solve the problems independently.
- Check your solutions against the provided answer key.
Attend a workshop on bridging differences
Show steps
Gain practical tools and strategies for fostering positive relationships across lines of difference.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Research and identify relevant workshops.
- Register and attend the workshop.
- Actively participate in discussions and exercises.
Design a dialogue facilitation guide
Show steps
Develop your skills in facilitating productive dialogues across differences.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify the purpose and objectives of the dialogue.
- Research best practices for dialogue facilitation.
- Create a structured guide that outlines the steps of the dialogue.
Compile a resource list on bridging differences
Show steps
Gather and organize valuable resources to support your learning and practice.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Conduct research to find articles, books, and online materials on bridging differences.
- Create a document or spreadsheet to compile the resources.
- Categorize and annotate the resources for easy reference.
Attend a workshop on unconscious bias
Show steps
Increase awareness of personal biases to facilitate more objective interactions.
Browse courses on
Unconscious Bias
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify a relevant workshop or training program.
- Attend the workshop and actively participate in exercises and discussions.
- Reflect on the workshop content and develop strategies to mitigate unconscious bias.
Design a community outreach program
Show steps
Encourages students to apply course concepts in a real-world setting, promoting empathy and understanding.
Browse courses on
Community Outreach
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify a community need or issue
- Develop a plan that outlines goals, activities, and evaluation methods
- Partner with community organizations and stakeholders
Mentor a student from a different background
Show steps
Share knowledge and experiences while fostering understanding and empathy.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify a student from a different background or perspective.
- Establish regular meetings to provide guidance, support, and facilitate dialogue.
- Share personal experiences and insights to bridge gaps and foster understanding.
Develop a plan for bridging differences in a specific context
Show steps
Apply course concepts to real-world scenarios and develop practical strategies.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify a specific context where bridging differences is important.
- Analyze the factors contributing to the differences and barriers to communication.
- Develop a plan outlining strategies for fostering dialogue, understanding, and collaboration.
- Present the plan to others for feedback and refinement.
Career center
Learners who complete Bridging Differences will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
As a Diversity and Inclusion Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing programs to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to create and implement effective diversity and inclusion programs. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Teacher
Teacher
As a Teacher, you will be responsible for educating students of all ages. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to create a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Public Relations Specialist
Public Relations Specialist
As a Public Relations Specialist, you will be responsible for managing the public image of an organization. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to build relationships with diverse stakeholders. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Social Worker
Social Worker
As a Social Worker, you will be responsible for providing support and services to individuals and families in need. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Policy Analyst
Policy Analyst
As a Policy Analyst, you will be responsible for researching and analyzing public policy issues. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to analyze public policy issues from a diverse range of perspectives. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Counselor
Counselor
As a Counselor, you will be responsible for providing support and guidance to individuals and families. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Community Organizer
Community Organizer
As a Community Organizer, you will be responsible for organizing and mobilizing communities to address social issues. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to build relationships with diverse community members. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Nonprofit Manager
Nonprofit Manager
As a Nonprofit Manager, you will be responsible for managing the operations of a nonprofit organization. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to manage a nonprofit organization that serves a diverse community. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Event Planner
Event Planner
As an Event Planner, you will be responsible for planning and managing events. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to plan and manage events for diverse audiences. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Journalist
Journalist
As a Journalist, you will be responsible for gathering, writing, and reporting news stories. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to report on diverse communities in a fair and accurate way. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Sales Representative
Sales Representative
As a Sales Representative, you will be responsible for selling products or services to customers. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to build relationships with customers from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
University Professor
University Professor
As a University Professor, you will be responsible for conducting research, teaching students, and publishing your findings. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to communicate effectively with students and colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources Manager
As a Human Resources Manager, you will be responsible for managing the human resources needs of an organization. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
College Administrator
College Administrator
As a College Administrator, you will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a college or university. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
As a Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for you because it will help you to develop the skills necessary to create marketing campaigns that are relevant to diverse audiences. Additionally, the course will help you to understand the challenges and opportunities of working in a diverse environment.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/omf8rj/bridging
Reading list
We've selected 12 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Bridging Differences.
Save
Provides a framework for understanding and dismantling racism. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about how to become an antiracist.
Collection of essays that explore the history of racism in the United States and its impact on African Americans.
Collection of essays that explore the history and culture of African Americans.
Science fiction novel that explores the experience of being black in America.
Save
Provides a historical overview of how the US government has created and maintained racial segregation. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to understand the roots of racial inequality in the United States.
Explores the history of mass incarceration in the United States and its impact on racial inequality.
Save
Novel that explores the experience of being black and female in America.
Provides a framework for having difficult conversations in a way that is productive and respectful. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn how to bridge divides and build relationships.
Novel that explores the experience of being black in America.
Novel that explores the experience of being black and female in America.
Save
Provides a practical guide to talking about race in a way that is productive and respectful.
Save
Explores the importance of gathering and provides tips on how to create gatherings that are meaningful and inclusive. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn how to bring people together and create a sense of community.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/omf8rj/bridging
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Effort
2 to 3 hours per week for 8 weeks
Level
Introductory
Via
edX
Institution
University of California, Berkeley
Instructors
Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton
Allison Briscoe-Smith
Language
English
Transcript
English
Good to know
Useful for improving social, cultural, and political discourse
Provides evidence-based strategies for reducing conflict and divisions
Helps understand and mitigate biases and prejudices
Encourages meaningful dialogue and connection
Taught by experienced and engaging instructors
Focuses on bridging differences and fostering positive relationships in university settings
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