Presented by the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement "Fellows in the Field" workshop series

Political polarization can feel like an unavoidable reality on today’s college campuses — but personal relationships can be a powerful antidote. In this session, Drs. Tara Hudson and Alyssa Rockenbach share findings from their yearlong research on friendships that form across political and ideological divides. Drawing on students’ stories of these friendships gathered through interviews and surveys, they examine how these relationships can foster democratic learning, reduce values-based polarization, and build empathy in ways that formal dialogue programs sometimes cannot. Participants will gain insights into both creating conditions that help interpartisan friendships thrive on their campuses.

Speakers: Tara Hudson and Alyssa Rockenbach
Associate Professor of Higher Education Administration, Kent State University; Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development, North Carolina State University

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