Empathy, polarisation, and democracy: Students discuss key issues during Dinner Conversations

One of the defining hallmarks of education at Yale-NUS College is the emphasis on engaging students in thought-provoking discussions with professionals from a wide variety of fields. The Dinner Conversations series, hosted by Rector and Associate Professor of Science (Life Sciences) Khoo Hoon Eng, invites subject matter experts to dine and converse with students in a relaxed yet intellectually stimulating environment. In recent installments of the series this semester, students explored complex topics with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Digital Marketing and Creative Entrepreneur Trina Teo, and Visiting Professor Milan Svolik and Visiting Senior Lecturer Bonnie Weir from Yale University. ­­

On 16 October 2024, Trina Teo focused her discussion on the role of empathy in design, introducing students to the principles of human-centered design. She explained how empathy enables developers to understand users more deeply, leading to the creation of more intuitive and accessible products. Her session also addressed human condition blockers to design, such as cognitive biases and tunnel vision, which inhibit creativity and adaptability. Finally, she introduced five design tools to help cultivate empathy.

The second and most recent Dinner Conversation session on 7 November 2024 centered on a timely topic: “Polarisation Versus Democracy”. Professor Svolik and Senior Lecturer Weir, both political scientists, engaged in a lively conversation about the growing impact of political polarisation on democratic institutions. They discussed a range of pressing issues, including the ways in which polarisation can affect stability and resilience of democracy, the role of education in shaping voting behaviours, and the political viability of candidates who openly challenge democratic norms. In light of the recent Presidential Election in the United States (US), many pertinent themes arose throughout the discussion, such as questions surrounding partisanship, the reliability of polling, and the divide between urban and rural Americans.

Although the conversation revolved around politics, students of various majors still found numerous valuable insights to take away. Jody Lim (Class of 2025), a History major, shared, “Although I am not familiar with political science, the discussion felt really accessible and I appreciated the informal atmosphere. Given the results of the elections in the US and the strong emotions surrounding them, it was refreshing to hear the professors share their expertise about the state of politics in the US.”

When asked about what he enjoyed about the session, Theodore Godfrey (Class of 2025), an Environmental Studies major, expressed his appreciation for the unique perspectives offered by Professor Svolik and Senior Lecturer Weir. “They both brought fascinating insights from their political science backgrounds,” he remarked. “What stood out to me was their enthusiasm for the field. Regardless of what we think about the current state of global politics, they emphasised that it’s an incredibly fascinating time to be involved in political science!”

Reflecting on this semester’s Dinner Conversations, Rector Khoo shared, “The Dinner Conversations allow faculty to share their latest research and books with the community, especially to students who may not have taken their courses. The recent one by Professor Milan Svolik and Senior Lecturer Bonnie Weir on the topic of Polarisation versus Democracy was just one such opportunity, which happened to coincide with the day after the election results in the US. I’m happy that both Dinner Conversation sessions sparked lively discussions!”