About this episode

Jen and Michael discuss effective strategies for navigating disagreements in a respectful and productive manner.

Disagreements are part of life, and science communication. Whether you’re talking about vaccines, climate change, or just what counts as the best breakfast, navigating differing views can be tricky. In this episode, Jen and Michael explore how to approach disagreement in a way that’s respectful, productive, and human. Rather than trying to “win” or change someone’s mind outright, they suggest focusing on creating space for alternative perspectives, and recognising when agreement may not be possible. They discuss practical strategies like actively listening, acknowledging the other person’s viewpoint, and asking permission before offering your own. Just as importantly, they reflect on when a disagreement goes beyond ideas and into values or identity and how that shifts what a “good outcome” looks like. You can find more great advice here: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_stay_open_and_curious_in_hard_conversations https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200930-how-to-politely-and-productively-disagree https://theconversation.com/agreeing-to-disagree-is-hurting-your-relationships-heres-what-to-do-instead-252687 Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ds72

People in this episode

Hosts: Jen, Michael

Topics covered

• disagreement
• science communication
• active listening
• perspectives
• values
• identity

Keywords

• disagreement
• science communication
• active listening
• perspectives
• values
• identity
• communication strategies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Berkeley, BBC, The Conversation

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