Respect – Discussions will involve controversial issues about which participants may have strong opinions. Engage seriously and open-mindedly with others’ ideas. Respect others’ racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender identities, and use people’s preferred names and pronouns. No personal insults or argumentum ad hominem will be tolerated. The UIC Community Standards apply here.
Focus – We are here to discuss the text at hand. You are encouraged to table your own ideas and concerns, and these will inevitably reflect your particular interests; but please keep tangents and personal hangups to a minimum. If necessary, you will be asked to return to the text. And, of course, please put your phone away.
Discipline – Read the whole book before the meeting. As you read, think of questions and critiques to bring to the group. Students who actually do the reading are an endangered species. By developing these skills, you improve your thinking and raise the quality of the discussion for everyone.
Impiety – Do not assume that arguments are correct because they are popular, because they appear in textbooks or respected journals, or because prominent researchers advocate them. Do not assume that arguments are correct because they’re complex or difficult to understand.