University of Dayton alum and national expert on civil discourse Timothy Shaffer will share strategies for respectful and open conversations during his talk "Engaging the ‘Other’ for the Common Good" at 4 p.m. Monday, March 11, in the Jesse Philips Humanities Center Sears Recital Hall.

Shaffer's talk, part of the Association of Marianist Universities Marianist Lecture Series, is free and open to the public. Parking is available in C Lot; a pass can be picked up at the visitor center.

Shaffer is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Chair of Civil Discourse and director of the SNF Ithaca Initiative at the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware. He also is director of civic engagement and deliberative democracy with the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona.

"We all recognize that our political discourse in the United States is failing, but we struggle to know how to respond. Whether we're looking at legislators in Congress or Columbus, or thinking about our own communities or classrooms, we can approach our common challenges through dialogue by engaging our differences constructively," Shaffer said. "Civil discourse is one of the critical elements to doing that, but we need to realize that civility doesn't mean we shy away from the critical issues." 

Shaffer has edited or written several books, including A Crisis of Civility? Political Discourse and Its Discontents and Creating Space for Democracy: A Primer on Dialogue and Deliberation in Higher Education.  

"Dr. Shaffer's talk will emphasize the importance of dialogue and understanding in achieving collective well-being and explore practical strategies for promoting respectful and open conversations in classrooms, workplaces and homes using our Marianist values of community, inclusivity and social justice as a foundation," said the Rev. James Fitz, S.M., University of Dayton vice president for mission and rector. 

Anyone interested in more information about the event can email rectorevents@udayton.edu.

For interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, University of Dayton associate director of news and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu.