Respectful Dialogues
Time: Wed 8-Oct 1:00 PM
– 4:00 PM
Location: John Yencken Building [45], Level 1
Being Active Citizenship SoCIETIE KNOT Workshop
Summary
Respectful Dialogues isa single, three-hour intensive that helps students recognise and practiserespectful, psychologically safe debate while building political literacy.Using Australian parliamentary discourse as a live case, the session coverscircle-based ground rules, Deep Listening, “observing self”, and moving beyondright/wrong binaries.
Students then explore harmful vs respectful debate andpractise a “deep-democracy” viewpoints activity using the Plastic PollutionTreaty scenario, preparing them to observe a Senate sitting and translate theseskills back to campus life. This work supports student mental health andcultural safety by foregrounding care, curiosity, and dignity in disagreement.Student will be required to complete all reading on the Plastic PollutionTreaty in order to participate effectively in this KNOT.
The intensive aims to:- Provide students with firsthand exposure to parliamentary processes, real-world political discourse, and structured analysis of debates.
- workshop respectful and constructive debate within the ANU on-campus residential community student and University communities.
- develop critical thinking and emotional intelligence through structured reflection and facilitated discussions.
- support collective student mental wellbeing by creating safe spaces for expression, fostering connection, and enhancing students' sense of agency in political discussions.
Preparation
• BBC News. (n.d.). [Article on UN plastic pollution talks].BBC News. Retrieved September 15, 2025, fromhttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgpddpldleo
• DW News. (n.d.). How realistic is a global plastic treaty?[Video]. YouTube. Retrieved 15 September 2025, fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSaWQ3dpfFg
• Global Plastic Laws. (n.d.). UN Plastics Treaty. GlobalPlastic Laws. Retrieved September 15, 2025, fromhttps://www.globalplasticlaws.org/un-global-plastics-treaty Global Plastic Laws
• Helbig, K., & Norman, M. (2023). The psychologicalsafety playbook: Lead more powerfully by being more human. Page Two Books.
• Nussbaum, M. C. (2013). Political emotions: Why lovematters for justice. Harvard University Press.
• United Nations Environment Programme. (2025, August 15).Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on plastic pollution. UNEP.https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution UNEP - UN Environment Programme
What participants will learn
Students will learn to:
- Identify and evaluate respectful vs harmful debate behavioursin parliamentary discourse, noting their effects on people and on the progressof ideas.
- Apply course tools like Deep Listening, observing self, and binary vs nuance to analyse tone, fairness, and idea development in adversarial settings.
- Explain how the parliamentary “winners/losers” structureshapes debate quality and inclusion, and propose ways to maintain respectwithin that setting.
- Practise constructive disagreement through a viewpoints/devil’s advocate exercise..
- Use structured observation (in-chamber) to collect evidence of rhetorical moves, non-verbal cues, and psychosocial impacts; integrate these notes into a coherent reflection in your assignment.
Completion
For the completion activity:
(1) attend a Senate sitting between 27 October and 06 November and
(2) submit a 1,000-word reflection connecting their observation to the KNOT concepts by 21 November
Material
- Question time in parliament (video 4:12 mins) https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/parliament-at-work/question-time-in-the-australian-parliament
- Reflective Writing Resource: https://www.unsw.edu.au/student/managing-your-studies/academic-skills-support/toolkit/writing/reflective-writing
- Section 5 in ANU Mental Healthand Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030 which outlines the importanceof respectful behaviour.
- The Psychological Safety Playbook byKarolin Helbig and Minette Norman - see sample chapter
- Created by
- Lina Koleilat