Choose a heated political topic and it is commonplace in the 24-hour news cycle to find two pundits talking over and ignoring one another. Are political lines are becoming just as entrenched as the split-screened views we see on the television screen? Is the massive flow of information available in the media, powered most heavily by the Internet, leading us to pick and choose content which confirms our existing political viewpoints? Do we tune out what we don’t want to hear and draw ideological lines in the sand where constructive debate and understanding of differing viewpoints is hard to find? 

We’ve always thought that the humanities give us fresh perspectives on how to respectfully discuss difficult issues. With a focus on reflection and on finding meaning the humanities create opportunities for airing different viewpoints without devolving into disrespect and incivility.  

Below you'll find a resource of links to everything from books, blogs, organizations, interactive tools, and speeches that frame the current state of our nation’s civil discourse. As you’ll see, the conversation is ongoing and constantly changing both on and off the web. The (Un)Common Good's series of programs give you the chance to actively participate in the discussion, so feel free to use this resource as a background of information and see if it sparks your own thoughts on how to respectfully and constructively engage with differing opinions.

Views and opinions expressed by individual panelists, scholars, and artists in the articles featured in these pages do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, or the Illinois General Assembly.

The Illinois Humanities Council cannot guarantee the accuracy or continued availability of online texts. Please notify us if you encounter any problems.

The resource list was researched and organized by Philip Nadasdy, School of the Art Institute of Chicago and IHC intern.