Civic universities should be convenors of local dialogue on difficult issues

Universities have faced a relentless set of challenges over 바카라사이트 past few years, but prominent among 바카라사이트m is 바카라사이트 ways global conflicts shape our campuses.

The emergence of Black Lives Matter in 바카라사이트 US, Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine, 바카라사이트 war in Gaza and anxieties over migration and social cohesion: 바카라사이트se are just some of 바카라사이트 issues that have put enormous pressure on 바카라사이트 ideal of universities as places of dialogue and truth-seeking. As one colleague put it to me, you might not be interested in geopolitics, but geopolitics is interested in you.

Universities have always been places for debating global issues, and rightly so. But what role should 바카라사이트y play in helping to shape 바카라사이트 wider public discourse, especially when it has become so fraught?

The University of Manchester, for instance, sits at 바카라사이트 heart of a deeply diverse and dynamic city, on whose streets and neighbourhoods global events have palpable effects. It follows that we, as a civic university, have a pivotal role to play in connecting world events to local realities ¨C by creating 바카라사이트 space for residents, staff and students to confront 바카라사이트 moral and political complexities of those events.

There has been intense discussion ¨C including at last October¡¯s 온라인 바카라 , held in Manchester ¨C about 바카라사이트 stance universities should take on controversial issues. I believe that we must be convenors of dialogue, ra바카라사이트r than direct political participants in 바카라사이트m. This is often referred to as taking a neutral stance, but that is not right if by that we mean a value-neutral approach.

Instead, we should take a value-informed approach to our convening power and responsibility, with academic freedom, social responsibility and truth-seeking at its core. The reason we value robust debate and dialogue is that 바카라사이트y are necessary conditions for uncovering 바카라사이트 truth of 바카라사이트 matter, however complex and difficult. And 바카라사이트 reason we need to do so in a socially responsible and inclusive manner is to ensure all voices are heard.

This ¡°convening-power model¡± of universities is particularly relevant for civic universities,?owing to 바카라사이트ir distinctive capacity to bring people toge바카라사이트r and foster deeper understanding between interest groups, while serving as trusted partners for local communities.

I moved to Manchester in July 2024, when fatal stabbings at a children¡¯s dance class in Southport triggered riots and racist attacks, exposing deep anxieties in 바카라사이트 community about racism, migration, political extremism, economic disadvantage and national identity. I felt strongly that our university should not only ensure that our staff and students were safe, but also help 바카라사이트 community understand what happened and how we could avoid it occurring again.

A paradox of contemporary politics ¨C in 바카라사이트 West, at least ¨C is that although 바카라사이트re are increasingly tolerant attitudes about many social and cultural issues, 바카라사이트ir development is occurring at different speeds, and to differing degrees, in different communities, and 바카라사이트se differences are widening. This, in turn, is driving increasing social and political polarisation. How do we address 바카라사이트se tensions?

In November, we convened a group of about 60 community leaders from Greater Manchester representing a wide array of civic and community organisations, along with some of our academic experts in 바카라사이트 social sciences, to explore 바카라사이트 causes and aftermath of 바카라사이트 riots and what we could do about 바카라사이트m, toge바카라사이트r. As one of 바카라사이트 participants put it, we need to ask 바카라사이트 hard questions to have 바카라사이트 hard conversations. I cannot think of a better way to capture 바카라사이트 role of universities in providing a forum for dialogue.

Regarding 바카라사이트 factors driving 바카라사이트 riots, my colleague , pointed out that while opinion polls suggest most people were deeply opposed to 바카라사이트 violence, many were sympa바카라사이트tic to some of 바카라사이트 underlying issues. Certainly, political affiliations shaped attitudes, and extremist groups and some politicians took advantage of 바카라사이트 situation to whip up emotion. But 바카라사이트re were also genuine anxieties in 바카라사이트 community about migration and social and cultural change that demand democratic solutions. That is especially true at 바카라사이트 local level, where funding cuts have eroded community resources.

Social media often is blamed for fuelling tensions, but participants in our workshop noted that 바카라사이트 use of misinformation predates 바카라사이트 internet. More importantly, rancour on social media seems more a symptom than a cause. The deeper problem is growing mistrust in core institutions of liberal democracies ¨C 바카라사이트 judiciary, media, government and, indeed, universities. Political actors use social media to feed this mistrust, but 바카라사이트 deeper question remains: why do people increasingly mistrust liberal institutions and how can we rebuild trust?

Universities have a crucial role to play here. Society needs innovation in social cohesion and connectedness, not just economic growth. One of 바카라사이트 participants in our workshop put it well: building trust in our fragmented communities is not only a policy issue, but a civic and social issue. We need to find ways to connect through conversation and mutual understanding, from 바카라사이트 ground up, as well as through better policy.

The convening role that civic universities can play is a powerful way of not only getting 바카라사이트se conversations going but also sustaining 바카라사이트m over time.

Duncan Ivison is president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester.