Hot-Button Issues on Campus: How to Civilly Exchange Viewpoints

Campuses traditionally have been places for rigorous debate and the exchange of viewpoints. However, recent political polarization across the U.S. around hot-button issues such as abortion, the election, and the Israel-Hamas war have heightened tensions at U.S. colleges and universities.

Just as in the workplace—where students will eventually head for internships and employment—college should be a place where people feel safe offering different points of view. How does a student engage in discussions in a civil manner, and how can they handle people with opposing views who are uncivil toward them?

Experts shared several tips with SHRM.

‘Replace Judgment with Curiosity’

“Speech can be regulated according to time, place, and manner,” said Richard Birke, who has more than 35 years of experience in dispute resolution. He serves as chief architect of Irvine, Calif.-based JAMS Pathways, a provider of customized conflict resolution and mediation services.

“More importantly, in a civilized society, just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should. Listen more than you talk. Ask clarifying questions. You don’t necessarily have to respond,” he noted. “Replace judgment with curiosity. If someone disagrees with you, you probably have something to learn. As a student, nurture your curiosity.”

Jennifer Gershberg, J.D., former faculty member at the University of Maryland, concurred.

“Your goal in college should be to learn as much as you can and to increase your exposure to different ideas and people. It doesn’t do you any good to stay in a comfortable bubble interacting only with people like you,” said Gershberg, who taught at UMD’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

But even though it can be beneficial to be friends with people who hold different political beliefs and perspectives, it doesn’t mean you need to agree with everyone or everything you hear, Gershberg explained.

“Over time, you may find that your own perspective becomes more nuanced, which is often a sign of maturity,” she said. “Realize that it’s OK to feel uncomfortable with new ideas, and that this discomfort doesn’t make the ideas bad or wrong—nor does it mean you shouldn’t make space for them.”

Practice Respectful Communication

“Respectful communication means expressing your concerns and needs clearly and politely while remaining open to the other person’s viewpoint,” said Seung Whan Ryu, SHRM-CP, winner of the SHRM Foundation’s 2024 Student Chapter Advisor Impact Award. Ryu is an assistant professor of management at Sacred Heart University’s Jack Welch College of Business & Technology in Fairfield, Conn.

“This approach fosters constructive dialogue and leads to more positive and effective interactions,” he explained.

Birke observed that while people sometimes make provocative and potentially hurtful comments, “underneath their statements are probably interests or needs that you can relate to.”

“If someone really dislikes a political candidate or a position they are taking, they are probably feeling a threat to something that you can understand,” Birke said.

For example, a person who grew up in a rural environment may view firearms as protection against wild animals, he noted, while someone from a crowded, urban environment may think of firearms as inherently dangerous.

“Both of these people can relate to each other by acknowledging that each cares deeply about their own personal safety,” Birke said. “Look underneath the statement for an interest that may be shared.”

Raihan Alam, a 2023 graduate of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., co-founded the Douglass Dialogues, a student club that encourages civil discourse about social, cultural, and political topics.

“People have to be intellectually humble and understand that they might not know everything about every topic, that it might be worth listening to another side,” he wrote in a November 2023 university blog post. “When you have people with different beliefs, just being in the same room and talking to each other is key because you learn you actually agree on a lot.”

Stay Calm and Set Boundaries

Sometimes, difficult conversations can boil over and erupt into threatening situations. Leave immediately if you feel threatened and seek help if needed, Birke recommended.

“Look out for your personal safety above everything else,” he said. “No one needs to remain in a conversation that is tipping toward violence. If the person causing the problem crosses the line between heated dialogue and threats, you should consider making a report with the appropriate authorities.”

Protect your physical and mental health. 

“What safety requires in any particular situation will vary," Gershberg said, "but may include walking away, reporting the incident to an RA [resident assistant] or campus administrator, calling the police, or de-escalating in any reasonable way.” 

When conversations about hot-button issues become extremely heated and disrespectful, Alam wrote, “it’s best to regroup and realize that, OK, this seems like this is not the time to have a deep intellectual conversation and maybe we should come back to this.”

Ryu advised reaching out to others.

“Don’t dwell on the issue alone; reach out to friends, family, or a counselor to gain perspective and emotional support,” he said. “… By taking care of yourself and having a support system, you’ll be better equipped to handle challenging situations with resilience and maintain your mental health.”

When You’re a Bystander

Although being involved in a conflict or disagreement is difficult, being a bystander can also be tricky, Birke said.

“Sometimes it can be helpful to intervene, but in other instances, it can be disempowering,” he said. “The person who is the target of incivility may be handling the situation exactly the way they want; they are perhaps waiting to respond, or perhaps they don’t want to respond at all.

“If you, as a third party to the conversation, enter uninvited, you could be making things worse,” Birke said, adding that a bystander should tread carefully.

“Consider asking something simple, like, ‘Is everything OK? Can I help?’ ”