Civility, Conflict and the Power of Disagreement with Michael Lee, Director of the Civility Initiative

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In this episode of Speaking of…College of Charleston, we talk to Michael Lee, professor of communication and Director of the Civility Initiative. Lee has been an influential figure at the college since 2002, focusing on political communication. His research delves into political branding, identity, and strategic communication, earning him numerous awards. Lee is getting ready to launch season two of his podcast When We Disagree, which is focused on powerful, human stories about arguments, conflicts and disagreements.

The podcast is a guest driven show, and Lee says the goal is “to have a bunch of people from various walks of life telling a bunch of stories about the conflicts they've had. The conflicts they’ve wanted to have and the conflicts they’ve deeply, deeply avoided.”

Conflict is an embodied experience. “Think about how you feel during a conflict. Your blood pressure is rising, your brain is flooded with what some psychologists call the devil's cocktail, the combination of cortisol and adrenaline at the same moment," says Lee. "And so, the ways in which we can be mindful of how we show up during that embodied experience and the way it makes us feel can really help us navigate difficult conflicts in our lives.”

The Civility Initiative was launched in 2023 and features panels, debates, speakers and workshops that promote communal engagement and healthy disagreement. Upcoming events include the film screening of UNDIVIDE US, a film about polarization and free speech. The film challenges the idea that citizens who disagree are not capable of civil conversation and demonstrates the truth that, even in our differences, the American experiment is still alive and well. Ben Klutsey, executive director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, stars in this film and will lead a Q&A discussion following the screening.

Lee offers practical tips for navigating difficult conversations, particularly in the context of the impending election. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity, empathy, and the embodiment of communication as tools for navigating conflicts, especially in highly polarized environments.

Resources from this episode:

• We Are Not One People: Secession and Separatism in American Politics Since 1776
• When We Disagree
• Civility Initiative Events calendar
• Uncivil Agreement, How Politics Became Our Identity by Lilliana Mason