07 Complicating the Narratives: listening and going beneath the problem

Welcome to your online course on Complicating the Narratives! Learn how to report on controversial and polarising topics without further dividing society. This is the first part of a two-part course series on ‘Complicating the Narratives’ and its four-pillar approach, where we will focus on the first pillar ‘listening differently’ and the second pillar ‘going beneath the problem’. The second course will dive deeper into the third and fourth pillars- ’embracing complexity’ and ‘countering confirmation bias’. Be sure to check it out!

This course is led by journalist Anneleen Ophoff, aided by resources from the Solutions Journalism Network and with a special thanks to Nina Fasciaux. The course will introduce you to the methodology, several interactive exercises, short examples, and step-by-step instructions. Sign off with links to additional resources you can use throughout your career. By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Recognise the responsibilities, needs, and neglected areas within journalism regarding the issue of polarization.
2. Listen differently through the technique of looping.
3. Go beneath the problem by asking interview questions that uncover motivations rather than positions.