Think Again: the Art and Practice of Productive Disagreement

We live in an age of retreat or stark polarisation, where disagreement feels dangerous, discourse becomes performance, and avoiding conflict quietly erodes thinking, relationships, and democracy. But what if disagreement, done well, is one of our most powerful tools available to us?

In this interactive lecture, Professor Leila Brammer (University of Chicago) diagnoses systemic habits that flatten conversations across our personal, professional, and public lives, and shows how to shift those dynamics in real time. Using engaged listening, she demonstrates how to genuinely encounter a different perspective and invites the audience to try a set of tangible practices.

Part lecture and part live demonstration, the session moves between provocation and participation, using opt‑in exercises that bring the stakes and possibilities to life. It is ideal for anyone who has left a conversation feeling unheard, unconvinced, or unsure how to think differently – anyone who thinks, talks, or votes.