Developing Reliable Epistemic Processes for Civic Life: A Response to “‘Beyond “Yelling at Them’: Exploring the Impact of a Political Simulation in Polarized Times”

PurpleState, the political communications simulation at the heart of “Beyond ‘Yelling at Them,’” was designed to foster in students the epistemic aim of building knowledge by investigating a civic issue and the epistemic ideal of considering multiple perspectives on an issue (Chinn et al., 2014, 2021). These aims and ideals are essential for contemporary civic actors to become more informed about controversial issues. The authors offered evidence that PurpleState supported students to better understand multiple perspectives on issues in ways that may reduce the effects of polarization. We argue, however, that students may not fully achieve the epistemic aims and ideals that PurpleState tried to promote without attention to reliable epistemic processes, the final element of Chinn and colleagues’ (2014, 2021) AIR model. Teaching students reliable processes for conducting research about controversial issues is essential for political engagement that reduces affective polarization and supports multiracial democracy. We offer recommendations that could enhance PurpleState's ability to prepare students for political engagement in the contemporary media environment.