Dialogism and Rhetorical Listening in an Age of Polarization

Using the author’s course on the memoirs of Israelis and Palestinians as an illustration, this article argues that dialogism and rhetorical listening can offer alternatives to the increasingly more common oppositional discourses found within and outside of academia after October 7, 2023, and since President Trump took office on January 20, 2025. The article describes how political and social divisions have made their way into higher education, resulting in some professors electing for a “silent” classroom while others take a more “activist” approach. It argues that both pedagogical choices present challenges for a liberal education in which the goal is debate and discussion across and despite difference. The article briefly describes the polarization occurring in the relevant fields of Israel Studies, Jewish Studies, and Holocaust Studies. It then acknowledges the author’s own personal and professional positionings. The article concludes with a description of the author’s course text selection and assignment design, including a discussion of how these aligned with pedagogical methods and goals informed by dialogism and rhetorical listening.