The world seems more divided than ever. Social media has made it easy to follow like-minded individuals, creating echo chambers where dissenting opinions can be filtered out. As our viewpoints have grown more polarized, conversations between opposing sides – online or in person – have become more heated. This environment has enabled populist movements to rise and hashtag activism to thrive. Are these divisions new, or have they just become more visible? How can we overcome the most cynical manifestations of anger, such as name-calling and tribalistic thinking? Is it still possible to express differences of opinions in a respectful and constructive way?

Hear from our panel of UBC and community experts as they discuss the growing divide of public discourse.

Moderator - Stephen Quinn – Host, CBC Radio One’s The Early Edition

Panelist - Bridgitte Anderson – General Manager, Edelman Vancouver

Panelist - Cicely Blain, BA’16 – Writer, Facilitator, Activist, Artist; Founder, Black Lives Matter Vancouver

Panelist - Catherine Corrigall-Brown – Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia

Panelist - Alfred Hermida – Director and Associate Professor, School of Journalism, University of British Columbia; Co-founder, The Conversation Canada

UBC Dialogues Presenting Sponsor: Scotiabank

Official Broadcast and Online Media Partner: CBC

Recorded October 15, 2018, at UBC Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, BC.