Welcome to In-Difference, a new initiative driven by a group of people with a common interest in dialogue, aimed at building peace and justice. This is what binds together a varied group of Associate Partners and underpins our collaborations, working both in the UK and abroad. 

Why In-Difference?

We are living in a world with a healthy appetite for social polarisation, meshed with increasingly polarised political discourse. Increasing numbers of us are opting for narratives that are further right or further left. Our social media feeds remind us of who we should be and what we should think. We are hungry for the promise of certainty and clarity. To be told what is right and wrong. 

Dialogue is losing currency when seeing a different side is ever more difficult, seemingly unappealing, and irrelevant.

Perhaps this isn’t surprising given the multiple crises we face - climate change; pandemics and associated physical and mental health issues; a growing realisation that the next generation will likely be economically worse off than ours; dented trust in the institutions that govern us; and AI-influenced social media that challenges our ability to distinguish fact from fiction. 

Confronting and navigating all this is hard. We are vulnerable to the seduction of messaging that avoids the fog of complexity.

Dialogue is difficult

It requires courage, a willingness to open the door to how we, and others, see the world. Also to be open to the idea that others may have a different worldview, based on different life experiences, different identities, different influences, and different emotions. These differences affect how we each interpret the challenges our communities face. We cannot divorce the way we see societal issues from our own individual identities. Unpacking this is at the heart of dialogue and a necessary ingredient of social progress. 

It is a paradox then, that at a time when dialogue is needed most, the opportunity to practice it is being eroded. Of course, other approaches to social change are needed too. Advocating for dialogue does not mean abdicating from protest for example. Using legal systems, human rights legislation and humanitarian law can help set the boundaries of effective dialogue. But there are many grey areas in which working out what is best is far from straightforward. Changing attitudes, preventing violent conflict, and repairing harm require multiple approaches. Dialogue is not the only ingredient, but it is a critical one.

We need to talk

We need to take views that seemingly clash, turn them over and explore them together. We need to hear those bent on violence and try to understand why. We need to have hard conversations and sustain them over time without losing hope in the end goal of living together well. Because at the heart of the challenge of sustaining peace and justice in our varied communities is the need to better understand our own identities and interests and the identities and interests of others; to appreciate our common humanity; and to generate new meaning and ideas that will improve lives for all. 

We can only do this collaboratively, with those different to ourselves. That is the challenge. 

So how does it work? 

When we talk about dialogue what do we mean? It could be boiled down to ‘the right people in the right place talking about the right things.’ This statement may be simplistic, but it does hold a few clues. 

Those involved in In-Difference’s work may be directly engaged in and affected by the conflict at hand, or those with the legitimacy and standing to connect different parties. 

A facilitator of the process may be an ‘outsider’ or an ‘insider’. They will be skilled at moderating difficult or contested opinions, attitudes or ideologies. Deciding who to convene depends on a thorough understanding of the context and the stakeholders. 

In all cases some preliminary research and analysis will identify stakeholders and power dynamics, helping ensure these are managed effectively. Indeed, at In-Difference, we value the role research can play in helping to unpack the issues and ensure dialogue processes are adequately informed. 

The environment for dialogue will vary, but it is important to appreciate how spaces may be interpreted by those convened. Setting the space will be approached carefully and sensitively. It may be best to start off with a facilitator shuttling between the different parties, conveying messages and preparing the ground for bringing them together when ready to do so. This can help make sure there are ‘no surprises’ when the parties come together. 

The increasingly familiar online space can be an asset. 

Venturing into the content of the dialogue, it is important to build gradually. There may be quick wins that can help move the dialogue on to more challenging terrain. Sometimes it’s beneficial to surface all issues at once. 

The role of the facilitator is important for creating the space for participants to say what’s on their mind and for others to hear and hold what comes out. Some rephrasing will be needed, along with regular summaries of what is being said. 

Importantly, there needs to be a sense of progress. Dialogue processes are made up of multiple events and episodes. People may exit if they do not get a sense of forward momentum. Making commitments as the process unfolds and following through on them will help build the magic ingredient of trust and sustain the process. 

Our experiences of dialogue processes in the peacebuilding and social cohesion sectors have given us the growing realisation that faith actors are often absent or at the margins. This undervalues the knowledge and practice embodied in our religious and belief communities. These are integral to proactively creating the strong and resilient relationships required for the immense challenges that lie ahead. In-Difference will put emphasis on this dimension of identity, ensuring it is sufficiently drawn out, together with other dimensions such as race and gender. 

We plan to bridge experiences of division, polarisation and conflict as they are playing out in the UK with the experiences of other countries, recognising also that many of today’s most pressing challenges reverberate through diaspora and global solidarity and pressure movements.

And as we know, whilst youth is no guarantee of innovation, age is no guarantee of wisdom. We will work intergenerationally at In-Difference. 

Convening a number of associates with decades of experiences across different settings, our focus on collaboration recognises the importance of dialogue that leads to action. Change can only be leveraged through partnerships that address deficits in the factors that deliver peace and social cohesion. 

These factors are varied but relate to:

• the way power is exerted; 
• our sense of fairness;
• the repair of harm we do to others; 
• our ability to provide economically and emotionally for our families and communities;
• and how we keep ourselves and the planet we depend on safe. 

These are our higher goals and are reflected in our values, our approach and our collaborations.  

The challenges we face are becoming more complex, requiring imaginative and bold responses. Through dialogue, research and collaborative action we can build stronger, safer communities with higher levels of trust. Please join us in building on our differences to make a difference.