Dialogue-awareness-*tolerance (DA*T): a multi-layered dialogue expanding tolerance for ambiguity and discomfort in working toward conflict resolution

ABSTRACT

The Dialogue-Awareness-*Tolerance (DA*T) Model stresses dialogue, intrapersonal and interpersonal, to (a) raise personal and community awareness, (b) reengage positive moral self-sanctioning mechanisms, (c) support those who are targets of intolerance, violence or harassment or have witnessed it, (d) stabilize and deescalate crisis and conflict situations, (e) acknowledge one’s vulnerability/discomfort/ambiguity in such dialogs, (f) increase tolerance to such reactions, (g) process the dissonance and (h) take action toward change. The DA*T Model incorporates and expands upon the processes of deconstructing the moment, critical incident stress debriefing, critical-dialogic intergroup dialogue and social action to make the experience manageable, safe and productive.

KEYWORDS:

• Intergroup conflict
• moral exclusion
• intergroup dialogue
• dissonance
• conflict management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.