We are now accepting student applications for 2025-2026.
Due date has been extended to: Sept. 7, 2025
An initiative that brings together UW-Madison undergraduates with diverse ideological perspectives to deliberate on important political issues.
Want to get involved? All undergraduates who have not already taken part in the Deliberation Dinners and will be on campus both semesters in 2025-26 will be invited to apply in late August and early September. Check your email at that time or return to this website. Application does not guarantee selection, but we will be enrolling 375 students in 2025-26!
Why run the UW-Madison Deliberation Dinners?
The Deliberation Dinners will use a particular form of discussion called deliberation. Discussion writ large is focused inquiry through speaking and listening that is purposeful, broadly collaborative, and leads to deeper understanding through analysis of different perspectives. And deliberation is a discussion that answers the question, “What shall we do?” — without requiring or seeking consensus.
Participate in the upcoming 2025-2026 year
All undergraduates who have not participated in Deliberation Dinners and will be on campus for the entirety of the 2025-2026 school year are invited to apply in late August/early September.
Watch your email for application instructions or return to this website for more information. Application does not guarantee selection. We plan to enroll 375 students for this year.
What is the setup of the Deliberation Dinners?
Students
In its second year, the UW-Madison Deliberation Dinners brought together twelve groups of ten UW–Madison undergraduates on two separate cohort nights (250 students) for a series of six, two and a half hour dinner sessions throughout the 2024-25 academic year.
In 2025-26 the Deliberation Dinners will scale up to enroll 375 students!
Dates & Structure
The dinners were held on the UW-Madison campus during 2024-25 in September, October, November, January, February, and March.
The evening follows a predictable structure of buffet dinner with one’s table group, warm up discussions, the deliberation, a debrief of process and ideas, and then an exit ticket for continuous improvement.
Facilitators
Each group of ten students was matched with one UW-Madison faculty or academic staff member who facilitated the deliberation.
Facilitators have all taken The Discussion Project, and thus have specialized training in discussion pedagogy.
Issue questions for 2025-26
- Should marijuana be legalized, regulated, and taxed in Wisconsin?
- Should U.S. citizens be required to vote in elections?
- What should Wisconsin do about school vouchers?
- Should Wisconsin change its gun regulations?
- What abortion policies should Wisconsin have?
- Immigration: issue question TBA
Media Mentions
With the Wisconsin Exchange, UW–Madison is strengthening a culture of civil dialogue across difference
Campus News, October 22, 2025
Here and Now: Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin on Civil Discourse at UW-Madison
PBS, October 24, 2025
The Deliberation Dinners initiative is funded by UW-Madison and developed and run by The Discussion Project, which is based in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. The initiative will continue to be evaluated by the Wisconsin Evaluation Collaborative.