People in conversation

A Model for an Introductory Dialogue on Abortion

Published

Abortion access continues to serve as a point of enormous contention and polarization in the United States. It touches upon so many aspects of ourselves, from gender and faith to partisanship and ethics.

The dialogue model described in this resource was developed for the single session introductory dialogues on abortion that Essential Partners (then known as the Public Conversations Project) conducted in 1990-1992 and 1995-1998. More than two dozen dialogues were convened across the two periods.

The initial introductory dialogue is a crucial step in building the necessary trust between the facilitator and/or convener and the participants. With especially divisive topics, great care must be take in designing the invitation and in welcoming participants into the space.

Interested in learning more about EP's approach, Reflective Structured Dialogue? Consider registering for an Essential Partners workshop or contact us for a free consultation.