Managing Differences in a Polarized World

Historians say we are more divided now than at any time since the Civil War. Polarization has affected every social institution from the federal government to the family. How do we navigate this environment as professionals who help resolve conflicts and an individuals who experience the effects of polarization. This presentation will lay out the problem, engage the audience in reflecting on its sources, and describe the approach that Braver Angels is taking to influence how we relate to one another across the political divide.

After his keynote, Bill Doherty will engage participants in conversation about how they see the effects of polarization in their work and social worlds, and offer tools for handling the challenges of engaging constructively during difficult conversations. 

About William J. Doherty, Ph.D.

Bill Doherty is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. As a therapist, he currently focuses on couples on the brink of divorce for whom he developed a clinical approach called Discernment Counseling, and on political stress in relationships. He served as president of the National Council on Family Relations and has authored 15 books for professionals and the public. Following the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, Bill co-founded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society. Bill is the chief designer of the Braver Angels workshops and has conducted sessions all over the country, including for corporations, state legislatures, and the Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress. Braver Angels now has volunteers working in all 50 states. Among his awards is the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy Academy.