A Conversation with Washington: Civic Skills for Civic Life

This workshop is part of the “Conversations with Washington: Having Difficult Conversations” series that extends the Maxwell School’s commitment to encouraging our community to engage respectfully with one another across differences. Like the initiative of Robert Shetterly’s portraits in the Maxwell Hall foyer, these workshops are designed for all faculty, staff and students, and aim to equip participants with practical tools for navigating conversations across diverse perspectives. The sessions are not topic-specific but focus on developing essential skills for effective dialogue.

The “Civic Skills for Civic Life” workshop is a short, engaging and interactive session aimed at helping participants develop key skills for managing conflict in both civic and personal contexts. Through exercises and discussions, participants will learn how perceptions and values influence conflicts and explore methods such as advocacy, inquiry, and identifying positions and interests. Additionally, the workshop introduces participants to the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC), offering resources to deepen their conflict and collaboration expertise.

Facilitator Bio:

Tina Nabatchi is the Joseph A. Strasser Endowed Professor in Public Administration and a professor of public administration and international affairs. She is also the director of the Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC), an interdisciplinary research center in the Maxwell School. Nabatchi’s research focuses on citizen participation, collaborative governance, conflict resolution and challenges in public administration.