Kathryn Joyce, a philosopher and civil discourse director at Ohio State University, recalls a memorable clash with a college professor over unfair tests—an early lesson in the challenges of pushing back against authority. Now an educator herself, she teaches students to hold powerful people accountable with humility and care. For Joyce, civil discourse isn’t about winning arguments.  It’s about fostering fairness, connection, and dialogue, especially across power divides. Still, she cautions: not every conversation is worth having—discernment matters just as much as empathy.

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