Intergroup Dialogue Facilitation: Learning From Experts

Intergroup dialogue (IGD) is a popular and effective tool for fostering communication between social identity groups and increasing social justice awareness and action. It has been implemented widely at colleges and universities across the United States and has also found a place in community-based interventions. Since the development of IGD, researchers have sought to identify participant outcomes and the factors that affect them. However, there is a dearth of research on the role of the facilitator in this process. Past research examining facilitators has examined only novice facilitators and has focused data collection on post-dialogue reflections. Additionally, there is little consensus on best practices for training future facilitators. This exploratory study seeks to add to this literature by examining what peer- and self-identified experts of IGD facilitation believe has contributed to their expertise. Specifically, we examined how they were trained to be an IGD facilitator, and how they would advise the training of future facilitators. Through a critical-constructivist grounded theory analysis of seventeen in-depth interviews, core competencies and qualities of facilitators were identified. These themes, along with specific recommendations from interviewees, are combined to propose potential recommendations for the development of new programs and the further improvement of existing IGD training programs.