The Unify America Challenge: A Worthwhile Tool for Deliberative Pedagogy

With political incivility high, students yearn for a safe space to discuss political issues among their peers. The Unify America Challenge provides such an opportunity by bringing together college students across the United States with divergent views to engage in political discussion. This commentary explores the experiences of four instructors in different disciplines and in different institutions of higher education who utilized the Unify America Challenge as a tool for deliberative pedagogy. Drawing our observations and feedback from students, we conclude that it is a useful activity that promotes communication skills, encourages students to listen to diverse voices, and underscores the shared values that transcend divisive political issues.