Ask a Professor: Civil Discourse — Q&A with Dr. Marissa Fond
In Georgetown’s Ask a Professor series, applied sociolinguist and College of Arts & Sciences assistant teaching professor Dr. Marissa Fond shares practical ways to encourage civil discourse—starting with curiosity, active listening, and backchanneling to keep conversations productive across differences. She also explains why “agree to disagree” can prematurely end dialogue and offers questions that invite deeper understanding.