Columns
Skills in dialogue: Cultivating Listening and Empathy: Part 2
In the previous column we looked at the skills, or qualities, that enable quality dialogue to happen. Our panellists suggested that such dialogue requires self-awareness, resilience, imagination, a sense of our common humanity, motivation, curiosity and a quality of real presence and attention.
This column will explore how these qualities may be instilled in the general population. First,... [Read more]
Britain’s Highlights in 2011
Annual tradition dictates that during the last week of the year the national dot coms mesh together a stream of highlights, presenting us with a re-run of the failures and triumphs, that has helped shape the UK over the past 365 days. As we scroll down the list of flickering images we are welcomed by an alien yet familiar film... [Read more]
Skills in dialogue: Cultivating Listening and Empathy: Part 1
Effective, or ‘quality’ dialogue, as discussed in various Making Dialogue Effective discussions, is an intrinsically valuable expression of our humanity which may also increase mutual understanding, promote friendship or even help us to address conflict. As one of our panellists for this session noted, it provides an important way of thinking through who we are, and who we are in... [Read more]
Effectiveness in Dialogue for Conflict Transformation
This column highlights some key insights from our third “Making Dialogue Effective” panel discussion, with conflict transformation experts Dr Diana Francis and Dr Marwan Darweish. The ‘transformation’ approach recognises conflict as a potential catalyst for positive change, when it can be dealt with creatively. A comprehensive approach, it seeks to engage and transform attitudes, relationships, discourses, sometimes even social structures,... [Read more]
Effectiveness in Dialogue at the Grassroots: Seeking the Personal and the Genuine
The second panel discussion of our “Making Dialogue Effective” series focused on how dialogue can reach beyond the superficial level of “meeting and greeting”. How can we make dialogue a genuine interpersonal encounter which deepens mutual understanding and has the potential to transform relationships? Our panel consisted of Imam Dr Abduljalil Sajid, Storyteller Sarah Perceval and Samuel Klein, Co-Director of... [Read more]
Dialogue Theories: Is Dialogue About Proving Others Wrong? What Dialogue Is Not About
Dialogue, whether it is understood as a group activity or a process, is not a means to prove one opinion’s superiority over others, and should not be understood as such. Instead, it is a conversation that essentially consists of meaningful interaction that does not ignore differences, but respects them. According to the physicist and philosopher David Bohm, dialogue does not... [Read more]
Dialogue Theories: Dialogue’s Nature and Indispensability
‘Dialogue’ is a practice, a way of doing things. It is also an academic concept, a way of understanding and explaining ideas and practice. The term is extensively used across the boundaries of different disciplines and fields of study, and the scholarly literature on it is accordingly extensive and multifaceted. Here, I will make a beginning by outlining the interconnected... [Read more]
God and Community Cohesion – Help or Hindrance? Part 2
After the Northern disturbances of 2001 and the terrorist attacks of 2001 and 2005, the then government became highly concerned with the potential of religion to support or undermine society’s cohesiveness.
Religion’s positive contribution
What did it see in religion that was capable of making a positive contribution?
It saw ‘social capital’. Social capital refers to the way an individual’s capacity... [Read more]
God and Community Cohesion – Help or Hindrance? Part 1
If you ask the proverbial man or woman in the street whether religion contributes for good or ill towards social cohesion, much depends on what the word ‘religion’ brings to mind; the evidence is mixed. On the one hand they might acknowledge that religion teaches people to be good neighbours and has inspired many agencies for good – the hospice... [Read more]
Dialogue Stories: Epitome of Cultural Diversity - Kuzguncuk
“Istanbul is a mosaic, made up of people from all religions and ethnicities,” said a Greek Orthodox Istanbulite whilst sipping her Turkish tea and gathering the crumbling sesame seeds falling from her kandil simit, a pastry made to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) which happened to be the day prior. I was sitting in the garden of... [Read more]
Broadening and Deepening Multiculturalism
I first heard “I hate abroad” in the early 1970s. I’d hitch-hiked across most of Western Europe in my summer holidays and I laughed, scornfully, at those whose minds refused to be broadened by travel. By 2000 those people had been dubbed ‘Little Englanders’. Responding to the arrival of ‘abroad’ in the 1960s – the brown-skinned British... [Read more]
Effectiveness in Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue: Can it be defined or measured? Part 2
The first column in this series looked at a key issue raised by the questions of the first panel discussion: “Can effectiveness in interfaith/intercultural dialogue be defined?” and “How do we measure it?” That key issue was the appropriateness of the language of “effectiveness” in this context. Panellists were concerned that thinking in such terms could actually prevent genuine dialogue... [Read more]
Effectiveness in Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue: Can it be defined or measured? Part 1
This column is the first in a series exploring some key insights emerging from the Dialogue Society’s “Making Dialogue Effective” panel discussion series. The discussions brought together dialogue professionals, religious leaders, conflict resolution specialists, academics and other professionals with a wealth of relevant experience.
Through the series the Dialogue Society sought to respond to critical questions sometimes raised about dialogue... [Read more]
Dialogue Stories: ‘I’d never spoken to these people before, but now they knew my name’
One week on and the only marks left on the street are some chalk drawings on the cement. Multicoloured Union Jacks and giant bubble writing that span the width of the road. Dashes of colour the rain hasn’t yet erased. Slower to fade will be the memories of the party these markings come from. On Friday 29th April residents... [Read more]
Dialogue Theories: David Bohm’s Holographic Dialogue
In this second column, we continue our exploration of the quantum scientist the late Professor David Bohm's notions of dialogue. Previously we looked at Bohm's definition of dialogue by contrasting dialogue with debate. Here we will see how Bohm's quantum theories and insights into the structure of the cosmos, which were holistic rather than reductionist or mechanistic, informs his ideas... [Read more]
Dialogue Stories: The Six Blind Men and the Elephant
I’ve been asked to write this column as an introduction to the idea of ‘dialogues stories’ that will be a common feature of the Dialogue Society columns. A dialogue story might be something that has happened to you or someone you know illustrating how dialogue can work in real life and perhaps in an unexpected way. A dialogue story can... [Read more]
Making Islington a Safer Place: Reducing Crime through Community Dialogue
In the past year crime has continued to fall, making Islington one of the safest boroughs in London. However, as I make plans for policing Islington in the new financial year I am presented with a number of challenges. The Metropolitan Police Service has to deliver a better service for the people of London with less money and potentially fewer... [Read more]
The Royal Wedding- time to get neighbourly!
I don’t know what you think about the royal family. I don’t think they were often in my thoughts while I was growing up. But I did wholeheartedly enjoy the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, and not only because of the opportunity it presented to run round my village dressed as a fairy. That little burst of exercise was in the context... [Read more]
Dialogue Theories: David Bohm's Dialogue Definition
Dialogue is a word often used but perhaps not as often understood. Most people, if asked, would probably use it interchangeably with the words discussion, talks, conversation or debate. Yet the world can all too often witness that political talks or discussions fail to take place. Even when they do, the results are far from encouraging. Conversations, even amongst family... [Read more]
What does it take to forgive and forget?
With the tsunami sweeping the eastern terrain and oppressive regimes domino-ing the Arab world it is a highly sombre time for everyone right now. Whilst some predict that the world is coming to an end and nestle into deep inquisition, others search for reasons, explanations and solutions to the corrupting global problems.
With casualties on the rise in Libya and the... [Read more]
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