Recognizing Power Imbalances in Decision-Making: Activity Guide

Within the growing discussion in higher education about creating programs for dialogue and deliberation across differences, folks have raised a critical concern: approaches that do not account for imbalances in power can contribute to systems of inequity. While my first inclination was to recommend a piece that outlines this point (e.g. “Civility is Insufficient” by PACE), I’m sharing instead one particular classroom activity designed for students to recognize the impact of power imbalances. It also gives me an opportunity to draw your attention to the larger Collaborative Discussion Project and its “toolkit” of class activities.