DAYTON, Ohio - The National Issues Forums network and the Kettering Foundation are joining a major initiative spearheaded by Public Agenda and USA TODAY to examine how Americans think and talk about the most urgent concerns facing us in the coming election year. 

On November 11, the USA TODAY network released the following statement:

As part of its unique local-to-national coverage of the 2020 presidential election, the USA TODAY network and Public Agenda are joining forces to explore the Hidden Common Ground in American public life.

Applications are now being accepted (deadline is November 29, 2019) from individuals who are interested in being considered to receive a Taylor L. Willingham Legacy Fund grant.

In this October 3, 2019 Nevada Today article titled Howl your opinions - deliberately, Associate Professor Amy Pason writes about how important it is to "...learn how to discuss difficult and controversial topics with others, and not merely attend events where we just cheer for 'our side.'"

The October/November 2019 issue of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics introduces a new section focusing on the theme of The Ethics of Dialogue and Debate. In an introduction to the issue, editor Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth wrote: