Sanford Leading the Conversation in Civil Discourse

Dear Sanford Alumni,

In the past few weeks, I have been reflecting on what it means to foster genuine civil discourse in a polarized moment. The events of September remind us not only of the challenges we face, but also of the responsibility we bear as a school committed to open inquiry, reasoned engagement, and respect for differing views.

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Sanford’s commitment to civil discourse isn’t a slogan—it is lived through our courses, our public programming, and the work of the Civil Discourse Project at Duke. That project, now housed within Polis – Center for Politics at Sanford, has helped build intellectually diverse communities of learners who support each other while also challenging assumptions. It teaches that civil discourse depends on the freedom to think, to question, and to express views rooted in facts and arguments that are academically grounded.

Over the past few weeks, our community has grappled with difficult and deeply felt questions. At a Polis-sponsored gathering following the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk, students, faculty, and staff offered candid, calm reflections. In the room, packed with graduate students, undergraduates, and faculty, Stephen Buckley – interim director of Polis - offered a framework through which attendees could share their thoughts in constructive dialogue while holding space for listening and for learning together. That evening was a reminder: civil discourse is not merely the absence of conflict, but the deliberate practice of seeking understanding, even when disagreement is real.

 “Constructive dialogue,” my friends and colleagues Bruce Jentleson, Abbas Benmamoun, and Noah Pickus recently wrote in a September 17 Chronicle Op-Ed,  “does not mean leaving one’s deepest views off the table. But we need to engage in ways that provide different perspectives in a spirit that aims primarily to inform and educate and refrains from negating the basic humanity of individuals.” I appreciate the leadership they have shown in the Provost’s Initiative on the Middle East and for reminding us that enabling diverse views is critical to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding.

Civil discourse and constructive dialogue were also themes in our recent Rubenstein Distinguished Lecture with former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. He reminded us that politics, at its core, is “an exquisitely human enterprise.” In his conversation with our community, he spoke about the importance of engaging across differences, of building habits of dialogue and connection that extend well beyond our campus. His remarks were a powerful reminder that Sanford and Duke are among the best places to practice the art of debate, persuasion, and understanding.

I believe civil discourse is at once aspirational and deeply practical. In our classrooms and on our campus, we must do more than admire our ideals. We must invest time, resources, and courage to practice them. Together, let us support one another and uphold a culture in which we challenge assumptions and debate ideas in pursuit of learning.

I look forward to continuing this journey with you.

Best wishes,

Manoj Mohanan, Interim Dean