Let’s Talk just got a powerful new set of tools to help students meet the moment.
FIRE’s civil discourse initiative has incorporated materials from the Mercatus Center’s concluded Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange, enriching Let’s Talk with a new suite of exercises, facilitation strategies, and conversation formats designed to spark deeper dialogue across lines of difference.
These resources — now live on the FIRE website — offer practical support for students, faculty, and administrators looking to foster thoughtful, principled discussion on campus.
The centerpiece of this addition is the Pluralist Lab, in which small groups of people discuss controversial topics using a method known as triadic illumination. In this method, participants not only share their own views but must articulate the reasons why someone would hold the opposite position. Both sides of the debate, as well as the undecideds, are equally represented in order to illuminate all aspects of an issue — hence the name. The goal isn’t to win the debate or change anyone’s mind, but to practice intellectual empathy and stretch the muscles of curiosity, humility, and reflection.
These are the kinds of muscles campuses need most right now.
FIRE staff began working with the Mercatus team on this transition in January and completed facilitator training in the Pluralist Lab earlier this year. We’ve since adapted these tools for wider use within Let’s Talk and we’re excited to put them into practice.
The Pluralist Lab is especially well-suited for moments of tension. In the wake of a campus controversy, when emotions are high and trust is low, it offers a principled and emotionally intelligent way to bring people together — not to smooth over disagreement, but to engage it constructively.
Let’s Talk
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Empowering students to talk to anyone and everyone on their campus about any and every idea.
This new offering reinforces Let’s Talk’s broader goal of preparing students not just to discuss controversial issues, but take meaningful action in defense of free speech when it is under attack. Let’s Talk is about more than conversation. It’s about mobilization. Dialogue is the spark. What follows is action. Let’s Talk groups are the front line of defense for free expression on campus, equipping students to resist censorship, advocate policy reform, and speak out when it matters most.
Groups like the First Amendment Forum at the University of South Florida and the MIT Open Discourse Society have shown how powerful this model can be. From advocating in case controversies to securing lasting speech-protective policy reforms, these students demonstrate what’s possible when dialogue meets purpose.
Whether you’re looking to start a Let’s Talk group, host a civil discourse workshop, or get trained in the new Pluralist Lab format, our Engagement and Mobilization team is here to help. Together, we can build a generation ready to talk — and ready to lead.
Interested in starting a Let’s Talk group on your college campus, or in hosting a civil discourse workshop presented by FIRE staffers? Get in touch with our team to get started.
