Finding ourselves at holiday gatherings with relatives or family friends who we disagree with about politics and other social issues is nothing new. But, in our hyper-partisan times the potential for tension is if not at an all-time high, it's certainly up there.
We explore some strategies for building constructive conversations at holiday parties with three members of Florida Gulf Coast University’s Roots of Compassion & Kindness (ROCK) Center. Launched in 2020, the Center’s instructors teach FGCU students about compassion, using the best insights from psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and scholars from many disciplines — and promote compassion, kindness, and empathy through education, action, and research.
Those students then apply what they have learned by going into local K-12 classrooms to share what they know through interactive activities. The program’s goal is to foster positive academic and behavioral outcomes through strategies of empathy and engagement.
GUESTS:
Dr. Maria Roca, Associate Professor in the Department of Integrated Studies at FGCU and Director of Roots of Compassion & Kindness (ROCK) Center
Jamie Wilson, Visiting Instructor in FGCU’s Department of Integrated Studies and a faculty member of the ROCK Center
Dr. Andrea Fortin, Visiting Assistant Professor in the College of Arts & Sciences in the Department of Integrated Studies and a ROCK Center faculty member
