Intergroup dialogue is an educational model that brings together community members from diverse social identities in a cooperative, small-group learning environment.
The IGD-based course Immigrant and Sexual Cultures produced a ’Zine about the intergroup dialogue process and impact.
Denise Larson ’19 shared how the IGD-based brown bag series helped her get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Colgate's libraries have assembled educational resources to encourage learning about intergroup dialogue and intergroup relations.
Colgate Conversations
Colgate Conversations have come in the form of weekly brownbag discussions, peer-driven and student leadership workshops, full-day symposiums, and staff/faculty-led Orientation presentations. They all use an intergroup dialogue (IGD) approach to encourage individuals to explore the complexities of social identities (religion, race/ethnicity, gender, class, etc) to improve communication and relationships between individuals from different social backgrounds. Through experiential learning opportunities, Colgate Conversations fosters an understanding of how individual perspectives are rooted in systems of power and privilege and provides an opportunity for community members to work together across difference toward purposeful social change.
How to Get Involved
Intergroup dialogue often involves members of groups with a history of conflict or limited opportunities to engage in deep and meaningful discussion of controversial, challenging, or divisive issues.
Look for the "Colgate Conversations" name, in the form of weekly brownbag discussions, peer-driven and student leadership workshops, and staff/faculty-led Orientation presentations. They all use an IGD approach to encourage individuals to explore the complexities of social identities (religion, race/ethnicity, gender, class, etc) to improve communication and relationships between individuals from different social backgrounds. Through experiential learning opportunities, Colgate Conversations fosters an understanding of how individual perspectives are rooted in systems of power and privilege and provides an opportunity for community members to work together across difference toward purposeful social change.
Contact us: igd@colgate.edu
Every Spring semester the Office of Equity and Diversity, Dean of the College, Dean of Faculty and ALANA Cultural Center have collaborated on 2-day IGD experiential workshops.
The next 2-Day IGD Experience workshop for faculty and staff will take place Jan. 12-13, 2023. For information, contact igd@colgate.edu.
Denise Larson '19 explored how attending IGD-based brown bag events impacted her perspective, and why it is something every student should experience, in the Odyssey Online:
A LESSON IN GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE
Colgate faculty are incorporating IGD methodologies into curricular courses. Interested students may contact faculty members directly to express interest in joining a course. Faculty members will manage course enrollment to ensure representation of diverse groups of participants, in line with IGD pedagogy.
Depending on the semester, IGD programming is available for PHED course credit.
Faculty in the Colgate libraries have compiled key educational and informational resources related to the themes and theories of intergroup dialogue.