Partner with Bok

Partner with the Bok Center to devise strategies to foster constructive dialogue in your classes.

We support faculty in exploring not only how to manage challenging conversations, but also how to ensure that students are able to engage with polarizing issues that are covered in your course. Our goal is to help you create an open, inclusive, and rigorous classroom where potentially controversial topics serve, rather than detract from, your course’s learning goals.

Contact the Bok Center at bokcenter@fas.harvard.edu to engage with us on any of the topics and programs below. 

Support for Difficult Conversations: We offer guidance on how to lead discussions about challenging topics in courses that cover controversial issues. We provide advice on ways to ensure that these conversations will serve your course goals.

Support for Addressing Student Inhibition: As survey data shows, Harvard College students often self-censor in their classes for various reasons. We offer teaching strategies that help instructors foster a more open classroom environment where students feel able to contribute and take intellectual risks.

Workshops: We provide sessions for faculty and TFs/TAs tailored to the needs of departments, programs, and courses on fostering open dialogue, teaching controversial topics, and building trust and community in the classroom. We also offer stand-alone workshops at the Bok Center.

TFs and Teaching Team Guidance: We offer consultations with entire teaching teams as well as with instructors and head TFs on ways to ensure consistency and alignment across sections, particularly in courses that address controversial topics. 

Syllabus and Course Design: We consult with you on designing syllabus language and course policies, community agreements and source selection that facilitate open dialogue in your course.

Assignment Development: We work with you on developing assignments that encourage students to grapple with opposing viewpoints, engage with counterarguments, and embrace complexity and nuance.

Resources: We provide example syllabus language, community agreements, discussion activities, and a range of other teaching resources.

Faculty Lunch Series: On November 20, 2025, we will be launching a new faculty lunch series. Join faculty colleagues to discuss problems of practice related to civil discourse and teaching.