Building Civic Empathy Through Relational Dialogue: A Transformative Space for Change Frances Hamilton Kraft

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Kraft, Frances Hamilton, author.

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania. Educational and Organizational Leadership., degree granting institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

0449.

0451.

0635.

Local Subjects:

0449.

0451.

0635.

Physical Description:

1 electronic resource (285 pages)

Contained In:

Dissertations Abstracts International 87-07A

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2025

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The United States is facing a time of division, isolation, and threats to our democracy. As studies begin to show the link between social capital (particularly bridging ties) and democracy, this exploratory mixed methods study documented and measured the thoughts, feelings, and actions of participants moving through Marshall Ganz's Public Narrative model while using Circle process as a dialogue space.Nine participants from the Washington, D.C. area participated online and in-person in five dialogue sessions. Transcripts recorded participant language used during the sessions. Following each session, participants recorded private responses to reflection questions and answered surveys designed to measure changes in social connection between group members. Pre- and post-intervention data on participant trust, belonging, empathy, civic empathy, leadership, efficacy, and the competencies of emotional intelligence also were collected.Although the findings must be considered exploratory due to the small number of participants, the qualitative and quantitative data together reveal several key findings. Participants reported experiencing increased connection with others, with the strongest connections made by those who shared their stories with vulnerability. These stories promoted mutuality, trust, empathy, and belonging with other members of the study group. Although tensions occurred, by the last session participants expressed gratitude for the unique gifts and identities each person contributed, a sense of themselves as leaders, and an urgency to be part of needed change in the context of the recent 2025 presidential inauguration.The dialogue space that combined the Circle process and the Public Narrative approach resulted in an intentional space where participants built social connectedness and spoke openly of their responsibility to others in society. They indicated a desire to be actively involved civically going forward. All participants voiced a desire to move toward action but lacked ideas for how they could continue the sessions in public spaces. This last finding offers opportunities for future research in using both Public Narrative and dialogue in Circle with community organizing skill building embedded in social and civic spaces. Further research could collect data on groups using this model in community spaces such as public libraries

Notes:

Advisors: Quinn, Rand Committee members: Ganz, Marshall; Pheng, Linda

Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 87-07, Section: A.

Ed.D. University of Pennsylvania 2025

Vendor supplied data

Local Notes:

School code: 0175

ISBN:

9798276006529

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license