The crises Australians faced in 2020 helped to unite them, prompting optimism about how the country will face future challenges.
Category Archives: Finding Common Ground
In polarized political climate, study finds common ground
People with opposing political views may not find much to agree on, but it turns out that they share actual common ground in their appreciation of parkland.
What You Can Do When Your BFF Turns Into Your Worst Enemy
Read this research regarding how friendship chemistry may help to explain the concepts behind “frenemies.”
U.S. public seldom has welcomed refugees into country
Some Americans disagree about whether we should take in refugees fleeing war and disaster in other countries. This is far from the first time.
Christmas Truce of 1914
World War I is remembered as the first modern war, a devastating conflict that forced people to abandon sentimentality. But early in that conflict, an amazing thing happened: soldiers on opposing sides of battlefields across Europe spontaneously set down their weapons to celebrate Christmas together.
How the Stress of Disaster Brings People Together
Stress can put people’s nerves on edge, but it can also cause them to be kinder and more compassionate toward others.
At this library, it’s humans on loan, not books
Discover a new way to walk a mile in another’s shoes with a new type of library that tells the real stories of different people.
Teens’ Play Brings Immigration Conversation to North Texas
Read this article about one group of teens bringing a national conversation to their local theatre stage.
Teens and Boston Cops Find Common Ground
Watch this video about how, despite having a history of racial tensions, the Boston Police Department is working closely with youths to find commonalities, easing tensions between officers and minorities, and avoiding the violence that is occurring in other U.S. cities.
About Intercultural Friendship
Making friends with someone from a culture different from your own is a great way to expand your horizons. Read the article to learn what pitfalls to avoid.
Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots
Learn about this global organization that helps young people identify the challenges they can address in their own communities.
The Benefits of Volunteering as a Family
Learn about the benefits of volunteering as a family and the positive impact it has on our communities.
Why the North Pond Hermit Hid from People for 27 Years
Author Michael Finkel explains what drew him to the man he wrote about in his book The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit.
How to disagree productively and find common ground
Former world debate champion and business strategist Julia Dhar argues that debating ideas instead of identities is the key to productive conversations.
The barrier-breaking power of learning someone else’s story
Read how the organiation Narrative 4 pairs people around the world to hear each other’s story and then retell them.
The Words That Remade America
Garry Wills, journalist and historian, recounts the events surrounding the Gettysburg Address and argues that Lincoln’s words changed the way Americans viewed country’s founding documents.
Tightness and Looseness: A New Way to Understand Differences across the 50 United States
The cultural differences between regions in the United States are as pronounced as the geographical ones. But how can we explain and describe the differences in attitudes, customs, and behaviors between states? This article describes one potential framework.
How to connect and find common ground in any situation
In this how-to column, the writer recommends connecting over small things before initiating deeper conversations.
The self-reliant individual is a myth that needs updating
Philosophy professor Kimberly Brownlee agrues that romanticized loners usually had some social grounding and that socializtion is needed in order to succeed.
6 Things You May Not Know About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
A replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is currently touring the country. Learn about its original design and intent.