This article reviews divergent empirical evidence on interracial contact. While research on diversity in higher education provides ample evidence for the educational benefits of engaging with diversity in informal interactions or courses, experimental and naturalistic studies in social psychology on interracial interactions reveal a complicated picture, showing what appear to be both positive and negative effects. Rather than addressing the question of whether or not to promote interracial interactions on campus, we present a critical-dialogic model of intergroup dialogue that centers on communication processes as an avenue toward intergroup relationships, understanding, and collaboration. Prior research and preliminary results from a nine-university research collaboration provide strong empirical support for the proposed model. We conclude with program and policy considerations for higher education institutions interested in promoting meaningful intergroup interaction. 4 Sorensen et al.The value of diversity in higher education is widely accepted among educators (Flores Neimann & Maruyama, 2005) and was affirmed by the Supreme Court in the 2003 cases surrounding the University of Michigan's use of affirmative action in their admission policies. On behalf of the majority opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger (539 U.S. 306, 2003), Justice O'Connor wrote:The [University of Michigan] Law School's claim is further bolstered by numerous expert studies and reports showing that such diversity promotes learning outcomes and prepares students better for an increasingly diverse workforce, for society, and for the legal profession. Major American businesses have made clear that the skills needed in today's increasingly global marketplace can only be developed through exposure to widely diverse people, cultures, ideas, and viewpoints.More than 75 amicus briefs were submitted on behalf of the University of Michigan to affirm the educational value of diversity, representing hundreds of colleges and universities, more than 50 higher education associations, 68 Fortune 500 corporations, 29 former high-ranking military leaders, and numerous social science organizations (Gurin, Dey, Gurin, & Hurtado, 2004). The challenge facing educators, particularly in higher education, is how to create educational experiences that optimally foster the development of skills necessary to participate in an increasingly diverse and global society.To address this challenge, in this article we first briefly highlight the evidence presented to the Supreme Court and conducted since, showing that interactions between diverse peers are important for diversity to have educational benefits. We turn then to recent social psychological research on interracial interaction and cross-racial roommate experiences, which challenges the notion that interracial (and perhaps other kinds of intergroup) contact will necessarily produce positive outcomes for students. Because the experimental research on interracial interaction does not assess sustained interactions, and the r...

How can higher education programs engage students in building a shared commons to address inequalities and foster commitment to intergroup collaboration? Intergroup dialogue is one such possibility to provide forums for meaningful engagement among students from diverse backgrounds. Findings from field experiments at nine colleges and universities show that students in intergroup dialogues increased significantly more than counterparts in control groups and social science comparison groups in their critiques of inequality and their commitments to post-college action to redress inequalities. Further, students in intergroup dialogues rated the frequency of the core communication processes more highly than the social science comparison students. The communication processes help account for the greater increase in students' critiques of inequality and commitment to postcollege actions.

This chapter proposes a transformative vision of critical‐dialogic leadership development. A framework is offered to guide reflection and dialogue among leadership educators to bring the vision to life.

This chapter focuses on intergroup dialogue (IGD)—a facilitated, colearning space among people from diverse backgrounds—as an exemplar of sociocultural conversations. IGD communication processes, pedagogy, and praxis principles are discussed to guide educators to infuse IGD practices in leadership development programs.