User:ProfGray/Braver Angels

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Mission and principles (based on current article)

The organization claims to follow four principles: An effective movement to depolarize America depends decisively on equal participation of red, blue, and independent Americans.

It’s necessary and possible to generate a virtuous cycle in which a critical mass of organized individuals work together to change institutions, and changed institutions in turn encourage more individual change.

This virtuous cycle can be ignited and accelerated by compelling public narratives.

Success requires overlapping networks working together to achieve shared goals. The first principle is reflected in a norm for their internal organization, "We’re guided by the rule that red and blue leaders are equally represented at every level of organizational guidance. Our members range from working class to affluent and come from many backgrounds. Our constant striving is to be an organization reflective of the country we seek to serve."

General points
Braver Angels focuses on political means, not electoral ends, and the organization has been described as part of a "civic renaissance" movement. (see also Damberg p.30 citing national ambassador John Wood, 2020)

"Braver Angels is America’ largest, grassroots, bipartisan organization in America dedicated to reviving the communal spirit of American democracy." -- Their line, e.g., at https://braverangels.org/the-road-to-braver-angels/ As cited by Cavendish, they say that their "method involves bringing politically diverse people together in small groups to listen empathetically to each others’ perspectives." Cavendish p.7

The demographics of Braver Angels participants is mostly white, college educated, and older.https://www.npr.org/2022/04/06/1090910863/red-blue-workshops-try-to-bridge-the-political-divide-do-they-really-work

In 2022, the organization's expenses were $2.9 million, mainly for "Bridging social divides" and public outreach, with year end net assets of $1.4 million. Braver Angels. Financial statements. https://braverangels.org/our-financials/ The board of directors include Blankenhorn, social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt, and Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family. https://braverangels.org/our-leaders/

Although Braver Angels does not track their members' religiosity, religious communities have played a significant role in the organization. For example, in 2018, churches in Florida requested, sponsored, and hosted Braver Angels events. In 2020, "Malice Toward None" was a Braver Angels initiative aimed at reducing partisan animosity within religious communities. (Cavendish 2023, p.13) In advance of its 2024 Convention, the Latter Day Saints Magazine promoted a local conversation series as well as registering delegates for the convention.https://latterdaysaintmag.com/can-you-love-a-neighbor-you-cant-agree-with/ In addition, an elder of the church was a featured speaker at the 2023 Convention.https://www.deseret.com/faith/2023/7/6/23785506/elder-corbitt-ahmad-s-corbitt-braver-angels-conference/ Sociologist James Cavendish believes that religious groups should use the Braver Angels model, among others, to counter polarization in America and build more robust social relationships, regardless of political antagonism.

National conventions
Braver Angels states that it seeks to build a national movement and, since 2018, it has sponsored conventions for its members across the U.S.

For its first convention, in June 2018, Braver Angels selected 72 conserative and 72 liberal delegates. The organization reported that over 100 delegates signed "An American Declaration." In their declarationt, the signers say they represent 3,100 members in a call for an end of political polarization and their affirmation of "a shared faith that this land we love will again be touched by the better angels of our nature."https://braverangels.org/an-american-declaration/ The convention had musical performances by Peter Yarrow, Dana LaCroix, and Steve Seskin.https://braverangels.org/convention-highlights/

The 2019 convention was held in St. Louis, MO. The delegates passed a platform and heard from speakers, including leaders from Black Lives Matter NY and the Tea Party in Cincinnati.https://braverangels.org/recapping-the-better-angels-convention/#comments The 2020 convention, planned for Charlotte, NC, was cancelled due to COVID.

At its July 2023 convention in Gettysburg, a featured speaker was Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who created the "Disagree Better" initiative of the National Governors Association. Gettysburg was chosen due to Lincoln's address, which inspired the organizations original name ("We must not be enemies. … The mystic chords of memory … will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."), as co-founder Blankenhorn told journalists.https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/7/23785510/braver-angels-david-blankenhorn-gettysburg-polarization/

The 2024 national convention is scheduled for June 27-29 in Kenosha, WI. The program is focused on four issues: "Abortion, Economic Inequality / Economic Growth, Free Speech / Hate Speech, and Immigration." Featured speakers include Jay Bhattacharya, Batya Ungar-Sargon, Jonathan Rauch, and Monica Harris of the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism.https://braverangels.org/2024-convention/programs-and-agenda/ Besides political discussions, the convertion includes music and The New York Theatre Workshop has sought local youth for a performance. https://www.carthage.edu/live/news/50671-mind-the-gap-a-braver-angels-and-new-york-theatre

Workshops
As its main activity, Braver Angels run conversations among Americans with opposing political views. Its flagship discussion format has been the Red/Blue workshops.

The Red/Blue workshops are designed to facilitate understanding and conversations between conservative Reds and liberal Blues. Ideally, the number of Red and Blue participants is balanced for each session. The workshop was designed by Braver Angels co-founder, Prof. William Doherty, an expert in family social science at the University of Minnesota, based on therapy methods use in couples counseling. Doherty's pilot effort was in December 2016, with weekend workshop in Ohio for 10 Clinton and 10 Trump supporters.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-personal-renaissance/202209/overcoming-political-hate-and-polarization The workshop principles are similar to those needed for married clients, as summarized by the WSJ, "Speak for yourself; don’t interpret what’s going on in the other person’s mind. Accept your own contribution to the problem—and that you can only change yourself. Focus on what you have in common: the shared history, goals, aspirations and values." https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-we-can-reconcile-with-each-other-when-our-politics-are-so-polarized-11606250555?page=1

In a typical format, the workshop starts with each color-coded group identifying the stereotypes of their group. They then share these with the other group.https://www.npr.org/2022/04/06/1090910863/red-blue-workshops-try-to-bridge-the-political-divide-do-they-really-work The stereotyping exercise is following by one or more additional exercises: the fishbowl, where one group does all the talking on a topic, while the other group forms a circle around them to listen; the questions exercise, where mixed Red/Blue groups discuss their answers to questions that had been generated by each (Red or Blue) group; and the "How Can We Contribute" exercise, whereby red- and blue-identified participants are paired up and share in response to: "What can each of us do individually, what can our side do, and what might both sides do together to promote better understanding of differences and search for common ground?"https://braverangels.org/attend-a-workshop/

By April 2022, the organization had conducted "nearly 1,600 Red/Blue Workshops and 275 structured debates in all 50 states." www.npr.org/2022/04/06/1090910863/red-blue-workshops-try-to-bridge-the-political-divide-do-they-really-work

In addition, Braver Angels offers "Braver Seminars," published works ("Braver Angel Publishing"), and convenes scholars and public intellectuals.https://braverangels.org/braver-u/

The group also created a "Skills for Bridging the Divide" workshop. In a 3 hour format, the workshop aims to convey information about meaningful, non-polarizing discussions, give participants some hands-on practice, and to convince people to do such bridge-building. Malow et al, and https://braverangels.org/event/skills-for-bridging-the-divide-34/

In the wake of the 2020 election, Braver Angels conducted 26 "Trustworthy Elections" workshops, guided by a national task force, and issued a report. The report highlighted 3 principles: “Voting should be easy. Cheating should be hard.” “Every citizen should have an equal say in who will govern them; this is done through free and fair elections.” “The American government will fail if candidates refuse to accept any outcome other than victory.” The final report made 26 recommendations in seven areas, including Gerrymandering in the United States, voting access, vote counting, voter identification, and "peaceful transition of power." https://braverangels.org/trustworthy-elections/

Organizational collaboration
Braver Angels has pursued collaboration with other organizations geared to civic discourse. Notably, it set up the "Braver Network" that lists dozens of organizations who are loosely affiliated. The network is co-chaired by Bridge USA, Institute for Local Government, and StoryCorps. For example, StoryCorps lists the Braver Angels' 1:1 conversations among its One Small Step recommendations.

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has sponsored about 200 Brave Angels debates on more than 75 college campuses, on many topics, with support from Braver angels and BridgeUSA. At the local level, Braver Angels developed alliances and interest groups, including a music community, a film club, a book club, technology lab, equality caucus, and faith caucus.

On occasion, media organizations have explicitly supported workshops, such as the USA Today Ohio Network publicizing Braver Angels workshop after the 2020 elections.https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/05/polarization-braver-angels-offer-workshops-bring-ohioans-together/4953543001/

In another collaboration, Braver Angels adapted its "Skills for Bridging the Divide" workshop for a national climate advocacy organization. This training covered three key listening skills -- paraphrasing, clarifying and acknowledging (or agreeing) -- and its speaking skills include pivoting, to introduce a divergent viewpoint, and offering one's own viewpoint, including "I statements" and expressions of concern. The training also cautioned people against pitfalls and counter-productive behavior. After a pilot run, Braver Angels ran 8 workshops for 403 participants, done online through Zoom. Participants reported that, by large margin, they improved their ability to set a constructive tone, in difficult conversations, and to "listen to people on the other side in a way that they felt heard." (Malow 2022)

Political engagement
Braver Angels defines itself a "nonpartisan group whose mission is to study and strengthen civil society" with a focus on reducing polarization. Within this scope, its "Braver Politics" activities include skill workshops for candidates and elected officials, candidate debates, "neighborhood conversations," and "town halls" with political candidates. It also offers its flagship Red/Blue workships for elected officials or their staff.

For example, Braver Angels ran workshops for mayors in Minnesota, county commissioners in North Carolina, election day officials in New Hampshire, and with 60 members of the U.S. House of Representatives "Problem Solving Caucus." https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-personal-renaissance/202209/overcoming-political-hate-and-polarization

Braver Angels provides its own certificate for its skills workshops for elected officials.

Scholarship on Braver Angels
Psychologist Peter Coleman is among the scholars who doubt that Braver Angels can actually reduce polarization. He says that animosity between groups is stronger than a single workshop can change, "Just meeting with other people, particularly once for a short period of time, is insufficient to changing people's attitudes, habits, the media they watch, the internet that they serve."https://www.npr.org/2022/04/06/1090910863/red-blue-workshops-try-to-bridge-the-political-divide-do-they-really-work A structural critique is that Braver Angels is only looking at civic politeness and thus does not address the power dynamics that are needed for political change, as has argued Alex Zamalin, author of Against Civility, The Hidden Racism in Our Obsession with Civility.

Scholarship on Braver Angels has included an examination of its meetings as performances... Fletcher, John. "Braver Angels." Theater and Human Flourishing (2023): 57. and as comparable to religious teachings, such as those dealing with reconciliation and creating opportunities to "listen attentively and empathetically to [people's] authentic concerns." (Cavendish 2023, p.7)

Braver Angel started with their "Red/Blue workshops," before developing other interaction and training modalities, so understandably these workshops have investigated more fully by scholars. The Red/Blue workshops have been characterized as "reciprocal group reflection " (Baron 2021)

Scholars have also begun to investigate the effects of Braver Angels on political polarization. One study, deploying undergraduate college students in Brave Angels Red/Blue workshops, found that "that depolarization is especially effective when it includes both informational and emotional components, such that citizens who are moved to empathize with outgroup members become more likely to internalize new information about them." Baron et al. (2021).

One study found that Red/Blue workshop participants learned to get along with each other, understand each other's positions, identify points of common interest, and improved their skills in relating to across political differences. (Jacobs 2019 as cited in Oliver-Blackburn et al.)

The Braver Angels approach also has been used as a model to compare methodologies for mutual understanding between people from opposing partisan communities. Dashew et al. p. 778

How did Braver Angels enable people to be receptive to conversations with political opponents? In a study of Red/Blue workshop methods, Oliver-Blackburn et al. found that Braver Angels facilitators effectively promoted dialogue by using five strategies: "greetings, acknowledging power differences, enforcing ground rules, listening actively, and providing appreciation for sharing." (p.62) Furthermore, they found that Braver Angels was successful due to three features of Red/Blue workshop design: "(a) Limiting assumptions through perspective-taking, (b) locating shared interests and commonalities, and (c) intentionally structuring the order of the workshop activities." (p.62) Researchers found that a crucial element for perspective-taking, and conversations, was the agenda order, allowing Blue and Red participants to first meet separately, with their own in-group, safely exploring their own viewpoints, before trying to listen and attend to people with an opposing perspective.