GLADi Events
Frontiers of Democracy 2025: Listening and Leading
June 19 - 21 | Tufts University, Medford Campus
At a time when democracies, old and new alike, are under attack, coming together in community is more important than ever. This conference is an opportunity for people at the frontiers of democracy to convene, strategize, learn, and support one another.
Given the rapidly changing situation, we are building a flexible agenda with time for structured discussion and collaboration. We believe that our announced conference theme—Listening and Leading—remains highly relevant, because the crisis of democracy involves division and polarization, and listening and dialogue are aspects of the solution. However, we do not intend the theme as exclusive, and we welcome sessions on other topics related to Tisch College’s “North Star:” building robust, inclusive democracy for an increasingly multiracial society. As always, we are eager to continue past conversations, such as about violence and nonviolence (the 2024 theme) and religious pluralism and democracy (the 2023 theme).
Past Events
GLADC’s Listening and Dialogue with Dinner (LADD)
Monday, March 27, 2023 | 5:30 PM | Breed Memorial Hall
- What are the dialogue skills needed for polarizing conversations?
- How can restorative justice support our shared community life?
This Generous Listening and Dialogue Spring event, hosted by the Tufts’ Generous Listening and Dialogue Center (GLADC), seeks to help us reflect on these questions while practicing our generous listening and dialogue skills. The GLADC’s Dialogue Ambassadors, Tufts graduate and undergraduate students, will facilitate listening and dialogue exercises over a community dinner.
GLADC's Fall Summit: "A Search for Common Ground"
Wednesday, October 12, 4 - 7 pm
Featuring two nationally renowned scholars, Drs. Pedro Noguera and Frederick Hess, discussing their book A Search for Common Ground and the importance of finding a common ground, despite political and policy differences, on education. Their work illustrates a model of civil debate between those with substantial principled differences.
Roundtable Conversations
Listening and Dialogue for Peace and Justice
June 5, 2024 at 4:00 pm, Tufts University
Socio-Political Activism & Hip-Hop in Senegal: A Roundtable with Simon Kouka
Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 12-1pm, Barnum LL34, Tufts University
A roundtable with Simon Kouka, Senegalese rapper-activist, who will have a conversation with staff, faculty, and students on his work in civil society organizations; his career as one of Senegal’s premier rappers; and his activism. This roundtable is hosted by James J. Fisher (GLADi) and Stephanie Khoury (Tufts’ Music Department). Co-sponsored by the Institute for Global Leadership (IGL) and the Africana Center.
Workshops
Generous Listening Workshop
June 12, 2024
Conferences
Listening and Leading: The Art and Science of Peace, Resilience, and Transformational Justice
July 25-28, 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda