Spring 2013 DDG Dialogue Groups
For a list of all past dialogue topics offered by DDG, click here.
Groups meet for two and a half hours for 7 weekly sessions beginning the week of February 18th. Dialogues are facilitated by trained AU students and alumni under faculty supervision.
(A) Are the doors of opportunity open for you? Socioeconomic Identity and Status
Mondays from 2:30-5:00, February 18th – April 8th
How has your socioeconomic background influenced your journey at American University? Have your opportunities and experiences been helped or hindered by your socioeconomic background? Does your socioeconomic status influence your expectations for the future? This dialogue will provide a safe space for us to reflect on the impact of our upbringing and the resources that were or were not available to us. This dialogue seeks to bring a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds together to create a rare opportunity for open conversation examining how socioeconomic status influences our personal development..
(B) Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Hate?
Tuesdays from 5:30-8:00, February 19th - April 9th
Has religion ever made you feel threatened or insecure? Have you ever felt the need to defend your faith? In the religiously diverse United States, conflict between and about faith groups is widespread and perceptions of Islam and Muslims are frequently the focus of these discussions. Similarly, Muslims' views and perceptions of America vary from convergence with American values to aversion of anything affiliated with American culture. Whatever your faith or beliefs, join this dialogue group to explore the complex relations between Muslims and the United States, on a personal and localized level.
(C) The Multiracial / Multiethnic Spectrum: A Dialogue on the Complexity of Racial and Ethnic Identity
Wednesdays from 5:30-8:00, February 20th - April 10th
Do you hold multiple racial or ethnic identities? Are you an individual with a single racial identity wondering how to best navigate the multiracial spectrum? Do you have a tendency to define others by a singular ethnic or racial identity? Are you torn between an ethnic and a racial identity? Do you feel like your identity has been chosen for you or do you feel like you have a say? This dialogue is for individuals who would like to talk about everyday experiences of racial and ethnic identity and what they mean to you in a multiracial, multiethnic society.
(D) Venn Diagramming: Where is the overlap between LGBTQ Identity and Race?
Thursdays from 5:30-8:00, February 21st - April 11th
LGBTQ equality is considered by many to be the civil rights movement of today’s society; this comparison however, can alienate as many people as it can rally. Based on your racial and sexual orientation identities, have you found yourself to be included in mainstream media and other everyday interactions? Have you felt a pull to choose between your identities in different contexts? If not, have you considered why? Do LGBTQ people of color feel connected to the larger queer movement, or are they left out? In this dialogue we seek to explore our complex identities with attention to layers of racism, homophobia, and misogyny. We invite all people, regardless of sexual orientation or race to participate.
Between Cultures and Perceptions: A U.S. & International Dialogue
Thursdays from 5:30-8:00, February 21st - April 11th
Do you ever think about the customs of your culture? Have you been taken back by other cultural traditions when traveling away from “home”? With a growing need for mutual respect in cross cultural relations in the U.S., this dialogue will explore how and why we react in various ways to different cultural norms. Do cross cultural interactions have to boil down to “us and them” or is diversity more complex? This dialogue especially welcomes international students and American students who have lived or studied abroad.
