RACE IS one of the biggest issues on Grounds today. From self-segregation to affirmative action, from stereotyping to multiculturalism, it is a rare moment when the University is silent about race and diversity.
But even with all the dialogue on this issue, the University community is lacking a constructive medium for an exchange of ideas. Although forums and open discussions are all too common, they focus more on venting frustrations than on coming up with solutions. "Sustained Dialogue," an organization in the process of starting up at the University, promises a more constructive and practical approach toward race relations.
Instead of having one large open forum, the group plans to hold a two-hour discussion every other week, starting in the spring semester. They will split the group into sections of 10 to 12 people, in order to encourage more personal and interactive discussions.
The approach used by "Sustained Dialogue" originates from a theory by Dr. Harold Saunders, former assistant secretary of state and negotiator of the Camp David Accords. In his book, "A Public Peace Process," Saunders' approach toward achieving ethnic and racial understanding focuses on a continuous - or "sustained" - discussion. In endorsing the strategy, former Sen. Bill Bradley commented, "The course of a continuous dialogue presented in this book offers citizens useful tools in reaching racial harmony."
David Tukey, the founder of the Princeton chapter of "Sustained Dialogue," which is one of the first in the nation, stresses his successes. He claims that the group was "dramatically more effective than other programs, primarily because it engages people personally before broader conversations are undertaken." By avoiding the broad and heated arguments that race relations forums sometimes become, "Sustained Dialogue" can foster discussion on a more personal and individualized level.
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It's easy to relate this theory to the University's discussion on race and ethnicity. Although a single discussion is helpful in identifying and voicing concerns and criticisms, it can turn into a heated shouting match very easily.
This is to be both expected and encouraged, to some extent. As Priya Parker, co-founder of the U.Va. chapter of "Sustained Dialogue," puts it, "Many people are very frustrated, and they have a lot of anger, resentment and bitterness that needs to come out." The dissatisfaction of minority students needs to come out in the open, and discussions are a good environment in which to do so.
Thus, the first step in resolving any problem is to get all the concerns out in the open. In this way, forums and discussions like the annual "Reflections on Complexions" are a success. They allow people to express their feelings, and they expose sentiments that otherwise may have gone unmentioned.
But the problem with most forums is that the discussion ends after all the anger is let out. While this is a necessary part of coming up with solutions, one single discussion isn't enough to come up with long-term solutions. Even an annual event like "Reflections on Complexions" isn't held often enough to come up with productive resolutions, or more importantly, to change the mindset of those participating in it.
On the other hand, "Sustained Dialogue" continues the discussion for an extended period of time by having many discussions over the semester rather than a single event. Co-founder Jacqueline Switzer also points to the benefits of a drawn-out approach, in particular, as a way to improve communication. "We don't want to intimidate people," she says. "We want to foster a back-and-forth discussion." This group addresses the chief problem of race discussions: the intimidation and frustration that occurs when people vent their anger.
By recognizing that any solution to racial problems must be worked out over an extended period of time, and cannot be just solved at once, "Sustained Dialogue" builds on the concepts of forums and discussions that we use now. This promises to be a more constructive and beneficial approach to addressing racial issues. As Tukey asserts, "As we've seen the program expand, and as more people have become involved, a large number of people's perspectives on race issues have been positively influenced."
This group doesn't claim to have all the answers, and it doesn't need to. There are no easy solutions when it comes to easing race relations. But "Sustained Dialogue" at least promises to bring the University a step in the right direction in resolving racial issues.
(Brian Cook is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at bcook@cavalierdaily.com.)
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