polarization

Across the Divides: How the Dialogue of Life Can Enrich All

bcicirel Mission and Ministry , , ,

Mission and Ministry’s Abdul-Malik Ryan published an op-ed in Visible Magazine talking about his work as a Muslim Chaplin here at DePaul. Below is an excerpt from the article:

The world needs spaces where people who are different can live together and form deep relationships. They need to be with not just with people who are superficially different but meaningfully different, over things that matter to all.

As the Director of the Interfaith Youth Core Eboo Patel puts it, “Diversity is not just the differences we like.”

At my university, students call their community, “umma” meaning “whole community” in Arabic. The intention is to live up to the ideal that all are welcome here — across political, ethnic, sectarian and all other differences not to debate and struggle for control, but to live together and know each other as human persons, beyond labels and disagreements.

There are benefits to groups and associations of people passionately dedicated to a certain perspective, to advancing a certain cause. Such groups and such spaces are necessary and powerful. This is evident in progressive movements such as #MeToo for the empowerment of women or in defense of the rights of Palestinians and in conservative religious revivals.

Read the article in it’s entirety here.

Ombuds Day 2020: What’s an Ombuds To Do in a Polarized Society?

bcicirel Mission Resources , , ,

This episode is an interview with Rev. Craig B. Mousin, DePaul’s University Ombudsperson.  Craig is founder and former Executive Director of the Midwest Immigrant Rights Center and an Adjunct Faculty member at DePaul University’s College of Law and The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy. In recognition of Ombuds Day 2020, Craig talks about the role of an Ombuds in a polarized society.  Ombuds not only serve their institution, but their skills and experience can model practices and provide guidance in addressing polarization and conflict outside the walls of our institutions as well.  For another example of how an Ombuds can serve an institution’s ability to live out its mission, see Craig’s article in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, “Vincentian Leadership:  Advocating for Justice,” at https://works.bepress.com/craig_mousin/5/