Page 57 - Mike Ratner CC - WISR Complete Dissertation - v6

Comparing Civic Dialogue to Other-Based Forms of Communication

The process of live dialogue between individuals beyond face-to-face conversation was

once only possible via a telephone operator or telegraph (Morse code) but dialogue today has been

extended and transformed with rapidly changing advancements in electronic and online-based

communication technologies allowing unlimited numbers of people to join many conversations.

Proliferation of the Internet, portable laptops, tablets, and smart phones (texting, video, webinars,

chats and social media posting) among gaming and virtual reality devices has opened a new

frontier to promote new forms of dialogue and conversation that is nearly instantaneous. New

forms of communication provide active channels for interactive conversation and discourse that

aided by technology can serve as vehicles for a more expansive conversation or distraction. While

technology allows individuals and even groups of people to meet via webinars, Skype or Zoom

face-to-face, face -to-voice, or via text-based programs to convey concise and extended forms of

communication, these forms of communication do not constitute a true civic dialogue.

For the purposes of this research, Community Conversations on the first tier is viewed as

civic dialogue which is focused on studying the experience and impacts of a physical face-to-face,

public gathering of stakeholders led primarily by local citizens, and I include organized participant

groups. The advantage of face-to-face dialogue is that it permits individuals an environment to

explore thoughts and ideas that connect on a personal level where they can also recognize non-

verbal communication more easily, often signaling specific emotions. This “in the moment

experience” includes perhaps a deep consideration of social issues, transcendence of biases or

stigmas, gaining a sense of connection, belonging, communal empowerment along with the

concept of raising awareness, self-liberation among other possible ideas which interest me.

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