Responsible Debate: Panel Discussion & Interactive Workshop

Democratic politics has always been a place of discussion, disagreement and debate, however, recent politics seems to be increasingly polarised and channels of information are increasingly siloed. In this context, the Young Academy of Scotland and The Ethics Cup want to promote ways of discussing controversial topics in a constructive fashion that helps us recognise common ground and achieve common cause.

The event, funded as part of the University of St Andrews' Scotland's Future Serie, will begin with a moderated panel discussion about techniques for and barriers to responsible debate. Our panellists will be drawn from different sectors of society and will include politicians and experts in mediation.

After a break for refreshments, we will move to a more interactive session. Through a series of gentle exercises, participants will be able to practice different tools and techniques that will help us think about how we listen, how our identities impact the way we debate, and how we can find common purpose with each other even when we disagree.

Tickets are free, but booking is required. To register for the event, please fill out this online form.

Please note: this is an in-person event, taking place in Lower College Hall in St Andrews. We will be following the health and safety guidelines relating to Covid-19 that are in place at the University at the time of the workshop. We will circulate more detailed information to participants nearer the time.