Page 371 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

Creating a Metasphere that is welcoming and safe is fundamental to sincere and productive

exchanges. The four scheduled dialogues hosted by the City of Albany were convened at different

locations. Their intent in hosting dialogues at multiple locations was to attract a widely diverse

group of attendees. The dialogue space represents a place of public and personal interactions and

expressions. The space occupied by the individuals who join in dialogue represented a mini-public

of the local community joining in the public sphere to embark upon a type of discussion rarely

encountered. A mini-public is a gathering of representatives of the local area that are modest in

scale and modest in their aims (Fung, 2007). As such, examining how the community centers

around Albany NY functioned as dialogue spaces for the Community Conversation series also

became the subject of my research, what created Metasphere included the physical environment

and the experiences of facilitators/participants; both in and away from the dialogue meeting space.

As Fung (2007) informed, the public sphere is a place where “individuals can reach their

own considered views and gain confidence in their own perspectives” (p. 163). While participants

in deliberative and civic dialogue can find space for equal expression and voice, it is achieved only

through partnerships created among the participants and facilitators. The manner in which space

is formed lays the foundation for how participants respond to tensions, disagreements and

discomfort. The same space where tension grows can support healing resulting from

transformation that can occur during or at a point after the dialogue ends. Part process and part

respect for those who join together in process, the dialogue space is dynamic and constantly

evolving as the conversation ensues.

I observed during some of dialogues that tension producing comments and disagreements

among dialogue participants were addressed only indirectly or not at all. Comments made by White

male participants about “nature favoring the hybrid (people of bi-racial or multi-racial heritage)

352