Robert P. George and Cornel West Discuss Civil Dialogue
The scholars examined political pluralism and intellectual humility at a University of Wisconsin event.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Lecture and Seminars
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Scholars Robert P. George and Cornel West participated in a discussion at the University of Wisconsin focused on constructive political disagreement. The event explored methods for fostering viewpoint diversity and modeling civil discourse in a polarized society.
Why it matters
The discussion addressed concerns over how political polarization impacts future generations and academic environments. It aimed to provide a framework for students and faculty to engage in intellectual humility when navigating divergent viewpoints.
The speakers bring 30 years of experience in vigorous discourse to their collaboration. They previously co-authored the book Truth Matters: A Dialogue on Fruitful Disagreement in an Age of Division and co-taught a course together at Princeton University.
The players
Robert P. George
He is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University.
Cornel West
He serves as the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary.
Eric Wilcots
He currently serves as the Interim Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin.
The details
Titled Constructive Dialogue in a Divided Age, the event featured a moderated conversation between the two academics regarding historical examples of civil disagreement. Interim Chancellor Eric Wilcots moderated the session, which highlighted the Wisconsin Exchange: Pluralism in Practice initiative.
Timeline
The pair first taught a joint class at Princeton in 2005.
The event took place on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This event functions as a practical application of the Wisconsin Exchange: Pluralism in Practice initiative, a campuswide effort launched by former Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin. It reflects a growing trend in higher education to formalize the teaching of civil disagreement as a core academic competency.
Students and community members gained firsthand access to models of civil discourse that can be implemented in personal or academic arguments. The event provided a template for navigating disagreements without resorting to polarization.
The takeaway
The dialogue underscores that intellectual humility is a practiced skill rather than an innate trait. Readers can implement these lessons by seeking out conversations with individuals holding divergent viewpoints to build a more nuanced understanding of complex issues.
Further reading
For more on campus discussions, visit the Lecture and Seminars page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Badger Herald.
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