Page 1 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6
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Doctorate Thesis Presented to the:
WESTERN INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
Berkeley, California
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS:
Gateways to Awaken Being in Awareness
PH.D HIGHER EDUCATION
by Michael D. Ratner
This dissertation studies local group dialogues called Community Conversations and
includes analysis of facilitation best practices where cohesiveness and conflict are observed
within the context of multiple dialogues convened over the last seven years that have ranged
over multiple recent topics reported in the media including opioid addiction, immigration,
crime, climate change, social justice, poverty, policing, race and racism, etc.
Academic Supervisor: John Bilorusky, PhD
Date of First Writing: May 12, 2016
Date of Final Draft: September 25, 2018
