Philosophy professor Kate Manne (right) debates with Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist for the New York Times. (Ryan Young / Cornell University) Campus & Beyond Agree to Disagree: Course Promotes Discussion of Thorny Issues Stories You May Like Remembering Chuck Feeney ’56, Cornell’s ‘Third Founder’ ‘Science Guy’ Bill Nye ’77 Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom From Nature’s Structures, Prof Weaves Architectural Creations Led by the dean of Arts & Sciences, the new class addresses such topics as immigration and the merits of capitalism Editor’s note: This story was adapted from a feature in the Cornell Chronicle. By Kathy Hovis At the end of every one of his Wednesday evening classes, Peter John Loewen asks students two questions: How many of you changed your mind about this topic? How many of you are less certain about your opinions after listening to this disagreement? Many hands flit up after each question—and Loewen says his own opinions have shifted a bit as well. Titled “Disagreement” (GOVT 1109), the class brings speakers together each week for a discussion about one of today’s most contentious issues: immigration and family size, for example; or the merits of democracy, capitalism, and progressivism. ryan young / cornell universityThe seven-week course is open to students from all years, majors, and colleges. Students prepare for the discussions with related readings, and writing assignments include a final project requiring them to disagree with a classmate and reflect on the process. The new class—which Loewen developed with government postdoc Davide Napoli—runs for seven weeks, with its first incarnation wrapping up in mid-March. It meets a deep need, Loewen says: for students to be able to confront and move through disagreements at work, at home, in their communities, and in society. Writing assignments include a final project requiring students to disagree with a classmate and reflect on the process. “For many people, one of the greatest experiences they have at the University is exploring what they believe and coming to understand that others believe differently and see the world through different lenses,” says Loewen, a government professor and the dean of Arts & Sciences. “So, at a time when society is very polarized, when disagreement seems fraught and difficult, we shouldn’t run away from it, but take seriously our responsibility of introducing students to constructive disagreement.” Evan Liberman ’26, a government and French major, took the class to prepare for disagreements he’ll inevitably encounter during his career. Stories You May Like Remembering Chuck Feeney ’56, Cornell’s ‘Third Founder’ ‘Science Guy’ Bill Nye ’77 Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom “People are very shy [in work environments] to express disagreement and they struggle to do so in a way that comes off as respectful,” he says. “In this class, I learned from the techniques the speakers used to disagree respectfully and have the opposing party understand that you really do mean good.” jason koski / cornell universityLoewen leads the discussions between visiting speakers. Marco Martini ’27, an ILR student and Air Force ROTC cadet, says he signed up because he hopes to be an intelligence officer. “I believe disagreement in the intelligence community is critically important,” he says. “You need to have people in the room who can talk with each other.” One disagreement featured author and professor Michael Eric Dyson of Vanderbilt and Musa al-Gharbi of Stony Brook University, who discussed progressivism. Another put Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist for the New York Times, and Kate Manne, a Cornell philosophy professor and author of the book Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, in conversation about falling birth rates. (That discussion can be viewed here.) At a time when society is very polarized, when disagreement seems fraught and difficult, we shouldn’t run away from it, but take seriously our responsibility of introducing students to constructive disagreement. Peter John Loewen, dean of Arts & Sciences Each week, the 120 students also meet in 14 smaller discussion sections. The class, which will also be offered in fall 2026, is open to students from any college, year, and major. “This class makes me feel like a student again. Seeing people who have thought a lot about things disagree about them—it has challenged my own views,” Loewen says. “One of the missions of the College of Arts & Sciences is to create humans who are ready to go into the world more tolerant, more pluralistic, more curious about other people. We need to make our students ready, and even eager, to wrestle with uncertainty.” Top: Philosophy professor Kate Manne (right) debates with Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist for the New York Times. (Ryan Young / Cornell University) Published March 17, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Storytime with Corey What’s the Most Iconic Cornell Tradition? Vote in the Final Four! 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