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on Bill Isaacs’ model is illustrated above, which describes conversation in terms of two basic paths

— dialogue and discussion. (Schein, 2018) David Bohm equated ‘discussion’ to a ‘concussion’.

Using shared ways of knowing allows people to add to the knowledge passed to them in

relationship with others, enlarges their perspective, and creates new meanings (Thayer-Bacon,

2003). This has been reflected in observations watching participants engage in a deep dialogue.

The process entailed that I have been using is actually extremely easy; it’s simply giving the person

speaking your full attention and deeply listening. In my experience under the tutorage of David

Jubb Ph.D. the key was to let go of thought distraction while allowing the participant their full due

of attention where I appeared all invested in what they had to say.

The responsibility and approach fostered through a relational approach to data gathering

and understanding the process of tension and disagreement within a Community Conversation

setting reflects a relational framework and responsibility to the work. A relational perspective is

appropriately aligned with civic and deliberative dialogue processes and a focus on the work and

relationships of the collective. Emphasis on the collective and recognition of the whole as a

collection of individuals, rather than the individual in isolation, is embedded in the grounded

theory methodology and PALAR perspective from which the thrust of this research was conducted.

Approach to Data Collection

In grounded theory the importance of data is guided by the perspective that all is data,

meaning that data and information are derived from interviews and from observations. Combining

the two is often necessary to construct a balanced perspective about the phenomenon being studied.

Charmaz (2008) noted that data collection will vary in quality, relevance, and usefulness based to

some extent on factors that are beyond the control of the researcher. In these instances, the

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