Want help customizing the structure of the living room conversation to better fit your issue? Contact us! Please tell us if you’ve had a Living Room Conversation. We want to share what we learn!
A conversation between people that share the same opinion is simply a conversation. A conversation between people that have different opinions holds the possibility of becoming explosive. A Living Room Conversation between people that have differing viewpoints provides the opportunity for understanding… collaboration… innovation… solutions. Imagine the ripple effect of Living Room Conversations throughout the country — those conversations would build a healthier democracy. Join us!
Topic Neutral Materials
| Download | Description |
|---|---|
| General Packet | Participant Packet and Conversation Guide |
We are aware of Living Room Conversations that have taken place around the following topics: energy/climate, money in politics, and immigration (this conversation was a 2nd conversation inspired when the issue came up in the money in politics conversation.), and the role of government.
You can view the questions that were specifically designed for these Living Room Conversations here:
Specific Conversation Materials
| Download | Topic | Material | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| For the Day of Conversation – Crony Capitalism | Crony Capitalism | Discussion guide | A script to prepare for and guide your conversation |
| For the Day of Conversation – Energy | Energy | Discussion guide | A script to prepare for and guide your conversation |
| For the Day of Conversation – Role of Government | Role of Government | Discussion guide | A script to prepare for and guide your conversation. Prepared by New Hampshire Listens using LRC guide and input. More resources here. |
| For the Day of Conversation: Money In Politics | Money in Politics | Discussion guide | A script to prepare for and guide your conversation. |
| For the Day of Conversation: Immigration | Immigration | Discussion guide | A script to prepare for and guide your conversation. (All or most of the participants in this LRC have had one LRC together & have now chosen to gather for a 2nd LRC.) |
Living Room Conversations on interfaith dialogue and government reform are currently being designed. If you would like help creating a Living Room Conversation around your chosen topic or area of concern, please contact us.
These conversations often reveal common ground and participants find themselves uncovering shared values, concerns, and interests that they did not know or think were possible to exist among people with such seemingly opposing viewpoints. Many of the people who have engaged in a Living Room Conversation have a strong desire to talk further in such a setting and have continued to engage in their community. We plan to learn more about these next conversations so that we can develop helpful guides for ongoing conversation.
The Living Room Conversations model starts with self-identified ‘progressive’ and ‘conservative’ co-hosts. Each co-host then reaches out to friends, family members, associates and neighbors to invite two additional participants who share their worldview. Living Room Conversations provides you with free, open-source materials that will guide you through an evening of conversation. This project is ever evolving based upon participant feedback so we strongly encourage you to take notes and share your experiences & recommendations with us to make this process as accessible as possible to Americans from all walks of life.
Read a first-hand account from a Living Room Conversation co-host in New Hampshire here: http://www.mothertalkers.com/story/2011/2/23/801/87341
In 2010, Living Room Conversations conducted a pilot project including 6 Living Room Conversations with a project team observer and 2 independent Living Room Conversations throughout the country; to read the final report on the Living Room Conversations Pilot Project click here.