Common-ground curriculum boosts tolerance and civic engagement in pilot study

Social cohesion is the glue that holds society together. Now, those bonds are breaking, and polarization has been growing for years. Educational programs aimed at strengthening social cohesion by promoting greater tolerance often focus on social differences, such as ethnicity, religion or nationality. Yet are such programs effective? A German–American team of researchers involving the University of Konstanz recommends the opposite approach: Instead of focusing on differences, such programs should center on universal human values.