Edmond D. Villani ’64 Institute for Civil Discourse

“It is neither a culture of confrontation nor a culture of conflict which builds harmony within and between peoples, but rather a culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue; this is the only way to peace.”
—Pope Francis, Wednesday audience, Sept. 1, 2013

Villani Institute Overview

Thanks to the generosity of Edmond D. Villani ‘64, the Villani Institute for Civil Discourse was established to foster respectful engagement on critical issues in our political life, culture, and society; this course aligns with our mission at BC High to form young men of competence, conscience, and compassion.

The Institute will equip students to practice deep listening, careful reasoning, and meaningful dialogue on pressing contemporary topics. A cornerstone of the Institute is the Seminar for Civil Discourse, designed for our highest-achieving scholars. This seminar offers a level of rigor that not only surpasses typical high school courses but often exceeds many college-level seminars. The Villani Institute and Seminar exemplify BC High's commitment to providing unique, transformative, and academically rigorous opportunities for students to pursue their passions at the highest level.

 

 

Key Elements of the Seminar

  • Open to current juniors for their senior year as an English course;
  • Modeled on a first-year college seminar with a small cohort of students;
  • Completion of a Capstone project: each student to follow a particular issue
  • throughout the year and present in the spring;
  • Access to key speakers and programs.

Key Themes of the Seminar

  • The meaning and scope of the right to free speech;
  • The role of the free press in democratic society;
  • Examples of political rhetoric that have united the country in divisive times;
  • Effective models of leadership and discourse in challenging times;  
  • Lessons from philosophy and theology that inform our understanding of civil discourse. 

Resources

  • Disagree Better
    A national organization initiated by the National Governors Association to help bridge political divides and promote healthy conversations about divisive topics. 
  • The Civil Discourse Project
    Resources from PBS and Arizona State University’s School of Civic and Economic Thought to promote civil discourse about issues of common concern from people across the political spectrum. 
  • Braver Angels
    Braver Angels is leading the nation’s largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic.
  • The Dignity Index
    By focusing on the speech and not the speaker, the Dignity Index is designed to draw our attention away from the biases of partisan politics and toward the power we each have to heal our country and each other.
  • “‘The American spirit will choose light.’ Why civility matters even more now.” 
    An article from The Christian Science Monitor in response to the rise in political violence in American society and what individuals and organizations are doing to make things better.