How Stanford is advancing constructive dialogue

Constructive dialogue is essential to the university’s mission of advancing knowledge and new ideas through discovery and open inquiry. And in an increasingly polarized world, these skills are needed more than ever. 

“I firmly believe that even in an era of division and distrust, Stanford can be a model for how we approach each other with curiosity and an open mind, and how to nurture the type of environment of constructive exchange in which discovery and learning thrive,” said Stanford President Jonathan Levin at the 2025 meeting of the Academic Council.

Initiatives like ePluribus Stanford and COLLEGE are preparing students to engage across differences – not to force agreement but to foster deeper understanding and connection. Courses like Democracy and Disagreement model how to disagree productively and how, by engaging with different perspectives, learning can thrive.

But constructive dialogue isn’t just an academic exercise – it’s vital preparation for citizenship in a pluralistic, democratic society.

ePluribus Stanford

ePluribus Stanford is a university-wide initiative to bolster civic engagement and constructive dialogue across the student experience, building on Stanford’s long commitment to civic purpose.

Democracy and Disagreement

The Democracy and Disagreement course helped students explore how to engage across political divides. This year, students had the option to participate in discussion groups led by students from the Intercollegiate Civil Disagreement Program.

Dorm Discussions

This year saw informal, faculty-led discussions in residence halls. In winter quarter, Civic Salons explored topics such as responding to injustice, strategies for effective protest, and the different dimensions of expression on college campuses. Throughout the fall, students grappled with polarization and political gridlock.

Citizenship in the 21st Century

In Stanford’s Citizenship in the 21st Century course, nearly 1,200 first-year students tackled some of the most pressing challenges in a pluralistic democracy – free expression, civic identity, and what it means to live with difference. Teaching citizenship has long been part of a Stanford student’s general education, dating back to 1923.

Civics Initiative

The Stanford Civics Initiative is equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and disposition – including civic courage – to contribute to a pluralistic, democratic society.

A Culture of Civic Engagement

Across campus, the Stanford community has been creating a culture of civic engagement, earning recognition for its efforts. Initiatives include Democracy Day, the annual day of civic celebration featuring student-run programming to encourage civic participation, dialogue, and voting.