Comment: A striking contradiction: the very reasoning skills that should foster informed debate instead entrench division. True dialogue, as seen in Conversational Leadership, might offer a way forward.It has been assumed (very reasonably) for many years that enlightened self-government demands a science-literate citizenry.
Perversely, however, recent research has shown that all manner of reasoning proficiency – from cognitive reflection to numeracy, from actively open-minded thinking to science literacy – magnifies political polarization on policy-relevant science.
Credit: Dan Kahan
Source: Science curiosity research program
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- Dan Kahan Professor of Psychology at Yale Law School
- How Beliefs Shape Reasoning How political views influence the way we interpret data
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(Pixabay)In-person, 7–11 September 2026, Warbrook House, Hampshire, UK
We are living and working in conditions of uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change. Many leadership approaches still rely on control, expertise, and tools that no longer fit the realities people face.
This week-long immersive workshop brings people together to practise Conversational Leadership as a shared, lived experience. It is not a training course but a space to slow down, think together, and explore how leadership emerges through dialogue, responsibility, and real engagement.