Why Constructive Discussion

Next25 Recoded is critical in creating the change Australia needs; it is a research program that identifies some of the deep contributing factors of the nation’s biggest issues and sparks initiatives to address them, rather than addressing the symptoms.

Recoded found four new deep contributing factors, or major opportunities to improve Australia’s performance for a flourishing future, grounded in a synthesis of conversations with 50 leaders across the country. We then analysed these to decide where to focus our next steps by considering how each could make a positive difference, match our capabilities, and add to (rather than duplicate) work by others. We consulted with a range of stakeholders as part of this analysis. Of the four new contributing factors, we chose to work on the lack of constructive discussion in Australia. For more information on the four deep contributing factors and their leverage points, visit the Recoded page.

What is Constructive Discussion

There is no one definition for Constructive Discussion. However, through Next25’s research, two working definitions have emerged:

1. The first definition emphasises pragmatism, describing Constructive Discussion as:

This definition highlights the power of Constructive Discussion in effectively
addressing societal challenges.

2. The second definition focuses on exploration and reflexivity, framing Constructive
Discussion as:

This perspective prioritises understanding and unpacking underlying values,
beliefs, and norms over immediate decision-making.

Our intention is that these complementary definitions allow us to be non-prescriptive, offering a useful springboard to explore what constructive discussion is and how it can be put into practice.

Constructive Discussion and the Sydney Housing Challenge

Next25 and members of a transdisciplinary UTS research team are collaborating to uncover barriers and enablers of constructive discussion with the view to testing and implementing an intervention(s) to improve the way we talk about contested issues.

Recently, we’ve been exploring whether we can use constructive discussion to make the Sydney housing crisis solvable. And if so, what does that tell us about constructive discussion that could be useful in other contexts?

Watch our webinar to hear from Next25 CEO Chloë Spackman, and UTS researchers Fanny Salignac, Alex Baumber, and Sam Wearne, who shared insights and key takeaways from the first phase of our collaboration, including:

• The four spheres of constructive discussion, co-created as a model to make sense of existing methods and frameworks to support constructive discussion in different contexts, and which may support the design of discursive interventions for the following phases of our work and for others interested in using constructive discussion as a lens to intervene in complex challenges

• The five factors our diverse group of research participants from across the Sydney housing system identified as impacting people’s ability to have constructive discussions about housing

• The interventions that could hold the potential to influence long-term decision-making and which will provide the basis for the next phase of our collaboration.
  

Constructive Discussion: Collaborative, Transdisciplinary Research

As part of this collaboration, Next25 and a team of transdisciplinary academics from UTS have worked on the design and production of two research papers. Key findings from these papers are presented in the webinar above, and their full text is provided via the links below:

Read this snapshot overview version of key findings and next steps on the Constructive Discussion and City Making paper here.

Constructive Discussion and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum

Our 2023 Report, “Contested Spaces: Australia, the Referendum, and Constructive Discussion” on Australians’ experiences of discussing a nationally contested issue, the Referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. It features four areas of guidance for improving the quality of our discussions:

• Model open and curious conversations

• Forge connections before conclusions

• Practise reflexive thought

• Foster genuine exchanges; deflect divisive tactics.

Learn more by reading the report or watching our speed webinar covering key findings and insights, here.

Constructive Discussion: Understanding the Challenge

Beginning January 2022, Next25 engaged three constructive discussion experts to join a Steering Committee to help guide our work. An additional 21 diverse stakeholders from across the system also joined us in a series of two workshops to begin collaboratively exploring the challenge and how it might be addressed. The purpose was for Next25 to identify an idea that might be developed into an initiative and implemented in the system, like we did with Next25 Leadership.

About the Workshops

Workshop One focused on understanding and exploring the challenge. Workshop Two focused on ideas to improve constructive discussion in Australia. Participants from various backgrounds including law, communications, community organising, deliberative democracy, psychology, and more joined us.

For a full participant list, and an overview and analysis of the workshop activities, download the workbook or click “See the board” in the interactive Miro Board below.

The Workbook

Click “See the board” to view an overview and analysis of our work on constructive discourse to date. Select the arrows in the corner of the board to view in full-screen mode.

Alternatively, download the PDF version of the workbook by clicking the button below.

The Ideas

Participants developed the ideas below in Workshop Two. They were asked to use the Gaddie Pitch template (Anthony Gaddie) to articulate their ideas in 30 seconds.