This page presents important information, services and resources for UBC community members interested in fostering respectful dialogue across difference when they encounter intergroup conflict.
Intergroup conflict occurs when two or more individuals who belong to different social groups perceive and/or experience incompatible or irreconcilable values or goals.
Steps to fostering respectful dialogue across difference
- Determine the nature of comments and explore intervention options
- Understand obligations to academic freedom
- Access supports to foster dialogue
Determine the nature of comments and explore intervention options
Before engaging in dialogue across difference, it is important to determine if facilitating dialogue is the appropriate intervention by seeking out from the Equity & Inclusion Office, who will consult with other offices as needed, answers to the following questions:
- Do the comments amount to hate speech prohibited by the Criminal Code? Is this a matter for campus security or the police?
- Do the comments amount to discrimination prohibited under the BC Human Rights Code? Does the university’s Discrimination Policy: SC7 or Student Code of Conduct apply?
- Do the comments amount to bullying, harassment or disrespect? Do any of the following apply: the university’s Respectful Environment Statement, Student Code of Conduct or Residence Standards?
- Does the nature of the comments raise concerns about the balance between expression rights and equity rights?
Consult with UBC’s Human Rights Advisors
Human Rights Advisors in the Equity & Inclusion Office are available to provide confidential, impartial, and accessible consultation, information, and referrals for students, faculty and staff at the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses who may have concerns about hate, discrimination, harassment or bullying. The university’s Discrimination Policy (SC7) is informed by the BC Human Rights Code. The BC Human Rights Commissioner has Ade available a Q&A page discussing how the Canadian laws consider claims of hate, discrimination and harassment against protected characteristics.
Advisors will discuss your options, support an informal alternate resolution process where possible and appropriate, and/or provide information about the process to submit a formal complaint for consideration by the Investigations Office. For employees represented by a union or association, they also have recourse to the support of their bargaining agent for support in navigating issues relating to Discrimination and the Human Rights Code and provide access to the grievance process set out in the applicable collective agreement as an alternative approach to resolving disputes or formalizing complaints.
Learn more about and/or request human rights advising.
Understand obligations to academic freedom
Freedom of expression is a foundational right in a free and open society and should, therefore, be vehemently protected. Academic freedom is also a fundamental right unique to the academy, permitting members of the university and invitees, within the law, to teach, learn and consider any opinion without interference from the university administration, government or others.
Neither freedom of expression nor academic freedom are limitless. For example, speech can be limited if found to rise to the level of hate, obscenity or discrimination, as set out by the Criminal Code and human rights laws; if it defames; or if it breaches copyright law.
The following four strategies for faculty members will help to protect academic freedom and promote an educational environment that fosters curiosity, critical analysis, and inclusivity1:
- Foster an educational space that invites divergent viewpoints on contentious subjects, while facilitating respectful and non-discriminatory engagement with ideas – enrol proactively in a workshop on facilitating classroom conversations across difference.
- Examine and invite examination of personal assumptions about and intolerance towards differing cultural and political perspectives and experiences.
- Introduce material and commentary that is germane to the subject of instruction, which is academically and/or pedagogically relevant and rigorous.
- Be mindful that academic topics and education methods of instruction do not move towards “indoctrination” of opinions and ideologies.
For more information, visit UBC’s online resources on academic freedom.
Access supports to foster dialogue
Request a consultation with Equity Strategist
Equity Strategists in the Equity & Inclusion Office are available to partner with unit heads, people managers, and supervisors to build individual and organizational capacity to advance equitable learning and working environments.
Among the services provided, the team has created and curated resources for and will provide consultation to students, faculty, and staff interested in developing skills to facilitate dialogue across difference. This skillset can help prevent human rights violations and respond to potentially divisiveness comments and conduct (intentional or not) in learning and working spaces.
Request a consultation with an Equity Strategist.
Explore guides and tools
- Respectful dialogues guide, UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- Fairness toolkit: Managing difficult conversations, UBC Office of the Ombudsperson
- Guidelines for unit leaders: Responding to collective tragedies and hateful incidents, UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- Organizational Theory in Higher Education, Kathleen Manning, Routledge, 2018. ↩︎