Our world is so divided. Can we talk about it?

In partnership with community stakeholders, Brandon University researchers are hosting a virtual town hall to explore conversations related to the polarization of beliefs, the role of social media, and brainstoming ways to restore and heal relationships. The purpose of this study is to consider the impact of social media on the polarization of beliefs, the impact of such polarization of beliefs on relationships, and what pathways we can follow to restore these relationships.

We are interested in talking to different community members to understand several perspectives on the matter. To collect data, you are invited to a two-hour online meeting. Through Zoom, experienced research facilitators will conduct a community consultation on the topic. Participants who do not have reliable internet access can register and participate by phoning in.

The online meeting will be audio-video recorded and later transcribed. After transcriptions are done, Co-Investigators will continue with the data analysis and note that any data collected will be fully available to the research team of this research only.

Please note that you are under no obligation to participate in this research. If you decide not to participate, you may withdraw at any time without penalty. Withdrawal of your data is possible at any point during the online meeting or prior to the researchers’ reports being concluded. Consent may be withdrawn verbally or in writing, and your data will be destroyed and not included in any reports generated by the study. We will work towards providing minimal risks to those who decide to participate in this study, by using pseudonyms and leaving out of any research accounts any information you find too revealing. If you experience any emotion distress, given the nature of the study, there are resources you can contact to help you cope.

If you decide to participate, please read this consent form, and indicate oral consent to the researcher. This research has been approved by the Brandon University Research Ethics Committee (BUREC). If you have any concerns or complaints about this project, you may contact Gustavo Moura at 204-571-7851 or MouraG@brandonu.ca or BUREC at 204-727- 9712.

To register, access https://bucarestownhall.eventbrite.ca or call 204-571-7851 and leave a message with your name and intent to register for the event.

For more information, access: https://www.bucares.ca/divided-world-lets-talk