When We Disagree

Rachael McNamara is a health educator. She identifies as a recovering conflict avoider and has worked hard to recast relational tension. Rachael explains how several key conflicts in her life showed her that setting boundaries doesn’t end relationships - boundaries clarify, even strengthens relationships. She highlights key tactics for navigating conflict, including pausing, reframing situations,...

Randall Geddings, a therapist, shares an experience of conflict with a close friend. Rick started hanging out with someone Randall didn't trust.  When Randall expressed his feelings to Rick, their argument escalated. Randall reflects on how his calm, analytical approach to arguments clashes with those who expect emotional intensity. Ultimately, the conflict was resolved by a mutual understand...

Barclay Murphy's husband was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. She's been arguing with the federal government about spousal death benefits ever since.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Jamelle Bouie is a columnist at the New York Times. The way he argues in public is very different from the way he argues in his private life.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Aly Kenny has been teaching manners and mindfulness classes for 10 years and has a popular Instagram account (@chasingcivility) devoted to these subjects. Aly had to face her own manners and mindfulness crisis not too long ago.  She was having some work done in her house, and she was shocked when the handyman showed up carrying tools, a ladder, and a gun at his side.  When she posted about her rea...

When Kyle Gillette, now a theater professor at Trinity University in San Antonio, was 18, he followed his dream of exploring the world of art and ideas and attended a liberal arts college. His father and stepfather thought he was making a mistake, one that would risk poverty and unpredictability.   Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com...

Dr. Annie Andrews is a pediatrician and mom. After working as a pediatrician at children's hospitals for 15 years, she decided to run for Congress and became the Democratic nominee in South Carolina’s first congressional district in 2022.  The campaign was vicious on the whole, but one issue - trans healthcare - grew so big that it dominated the headlines and involved Dr. Andrews' employ...

Techa Smalls-Brown was working on her Ph. D. during the COVID crisis. When one of Techa's friends and fellow doctoral students tested positive for COVID, the ensuing dispute over whether and how to interact in a tight space threatened their relationship.    Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Zara Smith was pro-choice. Her boyfriend wasn't sure what his position on abortion was. Zara chose to end their relationship.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Joel Caldwell is a accomplished photographer, writer, and filmmaker whose work has appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic, and many other outlets. For the past ten years he has focused on telling conservation and environmental justice stories from around the world. He characterizes himself as non-confrontational. Is he?  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestion...

Mia McLeod is a prominent former state senator in South Carolina. During her time in office, Mia wanted to make sure that political appointees were qualified for their jobs. One of Mia's colleagues became furious that she was disrupting the normal political process.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Nicholas Mosvick has worked within and on behalf of the American conservative intellectual movement for many years.  He has witnessed several variations of one central fight on the right: what is conservatism?  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Eva went away to college.  When she left her childhood home, Eva's sister moved into her room without telling her.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Before Brian Turner was the president and CEO of the Preservation Society of Charleston, he worked for the National Trust for Historic Preservation for several years. In a sense, Brian's career has been defined by legal, social, and historical debates about America's past, but one dispute about whether Steve Jobs could demolish a historic home in California has stuck with him.  Tell us y...

Nafees Alam is an influential proponent of viewpoint diversity. His support for viewpoint diversity is motivated by a memorable disagreement about race he had over a decade ago.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Before Mike Serazio was a professor at Boston College, he was an investigative journalist. He loved the work, but the persistent and heated interpersonal conflicts that journalists face took a toll on him.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Doug Sprei has organized hundreds of debates reaching thousands of college students since 2018. One stands out.  When We Disagree is on holiday break until January 8, 2025.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Mikaela Neubauer's father and brothers often tease her about her political beliefs. More specifically, they will make statements - Christopher Columbus was a good person, for example - to provoke Mikaela and seem to enjoy her frustration.   When We Disagree is on holiday break until January 8, 2025.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gma...

Tom Cunneff got into a heated political argument on social media with a childhood friend. Tom felt that he was rude during the argument and personally apologized to his friend. His apology led to curious results.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Margaret Seidler was researching her family's history in a library archive and discovered a shocking secret. A member of her family was a prominent figure in the buying and selling of enslaved African people in the early 1800s.  Margaret went public and wrote a book about her discovery of this history. When she encouraged other families with similar histories to go public as well, she met fie...

Tracie Potts was the PTA president at a local school.  When she and a colleague disagreed about PTA priorities, Tracie thought the best way forward was for the whole organization to vote on which option they thought was best. Tracie lost that vote and set about leading an organization while having a bruised ego.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisa...

Maureen Tobin was the Communications and Engagement manager for a small town in California during the COVID outbreak. She dealt with a tremendous amount of blowback related to public health information, lockdowns, mask restrictions, and more.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

Becky Kuehl was moderating a debate about the future of feminism at a South Dakota library. When a participant made an argument that Becky didn't agree with - and then nobody in the audience challenges the claim - Becky had to decide whether to abandon her neutral role as debate moderator. Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Foll...

Roger Pielke is a climate change researcher.  His life changed drastically when some of his work became controversial in surprising ways.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at whenwedisagree@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram

What does it mean for a group of people to be "positively," "negatively," "accurately," or "inaccurately" represented in media? Ed Schiappa has spent quite some time thinking about these questions, and his research complicates what many think of as a "good" representation.  Tell us your argument stories!  Email guest and topic suggestions to us at...