DDNRC CONFERENCE - 2027
Building Hope & Resilience: The Role of Dialogue in Higher Education
Conference Dates: Pre-conference: Monday, May 24, 2027; Conference: Tuesday & Wednesday May 25 – 26th, 2027
Conference Location: University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, Michigan
Conference Theme: In a time of deep polarization, rapid change, and growing uncertainty, dialogue is not a luxury–it is essential.
The 2027 DDNRC Conference, Building Hope & Resilience: The Role of Dialogue in Higher Education, brings together college educators, students, scholars, and campus leaders to explore how dialogue can strengthen both individuals and institutions. As conversations about civil discourse intensify and communities navigate political division, mental health challenges, technological shifts, and social transformation, this conference centers dialogue as a vital practice for fostering belonging, supporting well-being, and cultivating democratic engagement. Through skill-building workshops, research presentations, and storytelling, participants will explore how dialogue builds trust, addresses trauma and harm, resists silencing, and nurtures solidarity rooted in our common humanity. Join us as we deepen our collective capacity to create learning environments and communities where dialogue sparks courage, connection, hope, and resilience.
2025- The Weight of Words: Navigating the Evolving Role of Dialogue During Polarized Times
The fifth biennial DDNRC conference titled, The Weight of Words: Navigating the Evolving Role of Dialogue in Polarized Times, was held June 30th-July 2nd at Washington University in St. Louis.
2023- Choosing Dialogue: Mapping the Course Through Difficult Conversations
The fourth biennial DDNRC conference titled, Choosing Dialogue: Mapping the Course Through Difficult Conversations, was held June 12-14 at San José State University in San José, California.
2018- Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education in the Digital Age
The third biennial DDNRC conference titled, Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education in the Digital Age, was held October 17-19 at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.
2016- Strategies for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education
The second biennial DDNRC conference titled, Changing Climates, Divided Landscapes: Strategies for Engaging Difficult Dialogues in Higher Education, was held October 24-25, 2016 at the Michigan Union on the campus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (U-M).
2014- Difficult Dialogue Practices in Higher Education: A New Imperative Democracy
The first biennial DDNRC conference titled, Difficult Dialogue Practices in Higher Education: A New Imperative of Democracy, was held September 25-26, 2014 at the AT&T Conference Center on the campus of the University of Texas, Austin (U-T).
