# Innovating Civil Discourse: An Instructional Design Hackathon ![civil discourse hackathon graphic](/sites/g/files/omnuum9911/files/styles/hwp_5_4__480x385/public/2026-08/hackathon%20graphic%20october%202_0.png?itok=fe2Vg4X8) #### calendar\_today Date and Time **October 2 - October 5, 2026** 01:00PM - 05:00PM EDT #### pin\_drop Location **Dennis F. Thompson Seminar Room, Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics** [124 Mount Auburn Street 5th floor, Suite 520N Cambridge, MA 02138-5701 United States ]() [ REGISTER HERE arrow\_circle\_right ](https://forms.gle/pnB5sRMGAq6tnZdr7) **How do we motivate people to use civil discourse skills in everyday life?** How can we help people overcome the tendency to abandon civil discourse practices in a heated conversation, or to abandon the conversation altogether? This hackathon invites undergraduates, graduate students and young scholars from Boston area colleges and universities to design a game that helps users engage with difficult, contested, or uncomfortable conversations. The term "game" is used loosely, in the hope that participants will draw on the world of play and games for inspiration, making exercises and experiences that are engaging, educational, *and* fun. The more innovative and experimental, the better! We’ll also ask participants to share how their game can be used as a learning tool, as part of a lesson plan or a classroom resource. To help participants get started, we have two suggested topics where we see this problem of motivation manifesting saliently. These are ideas to help get you started, but you are also welcome to propose your own topic. **1. Fix a toxic digital space.** Sidechat — the anonymous, location-based forum active at universities such as Harvard, Tufts, Northeastern, and BU — is where a lot of campus discourse actually happens, and a lot of it isn't positive. Design something that applies real conversation skills to this space (or any other digital platform like Reddit or Instagram), or that helps users see the pitfalls of these platforms clearly enough to engage more productively. Build the game or experience you wish every friend and classmate had played before they ever logged onto Sidechat. **2. Activism vs. deliberation.** Activism and protest are a huge part of how young people engage with political issues, so it's no surprise that many aren't particularly enthusiastic about civil discourse as a means for social change. Engaging with people who hold opposing opinions can feel like a waste of time, or worse — a distraction from the fight for what's right, draining, or even harmful when much is at stake. But diversity of opinion is what makes a movement effective, and engaging across deep divides is what sustains a democracy. These kinds of engagements hold significant opportunities for growth, both for a movement and the individuals within it. How do you ensure there is room for dialogue and difference in activist spaces? Can you stay in the fight for what you believe in *and* still talk to people who disagree with you? **Schedule** The event will run across four days. Over the weekend, participants will decide on a topic, design a game around it, and build towards presenting it live to our panel of judges. Participants will have space at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics and access to the pedagogy staff from 1–5pm each day. During this time, participants may work with their team and ask staff questions during dedicated office hours. Of course, participants are more than welcome to keep working outside those hours too. **Friday, October 2nd**: - 1:00–2:30pm: Kickoff. We'll walk through the Big Question, the two starting topics above, and how judging will work. - 2:30–5:00pm: Team formation and work time. Our team will be on site, and you are open to think through your idea with us. **Saturday, October 3rd**: - 1:00–5:00pm. Open build day, and you can work from our office during this designated time. Work at your own pace, and ask staff on-site for feedback or troubleshooting. **Sunday, October 4th**: - 1:00–2:00pm: Continue building and refining your prototype. - 2:00–4:00pm: Playtesting workshop. Run your game on our team or other participants, gather feedback, and eat pizza while you do it. - 4:00–5:00pm: Work time to incorporate what you learned before presentations. **Monday, October 5th:** - 1:00–4:00pm: Final presentations to our panel of judges. We will have a fifteen-minute break if time allows at around 2:30pm. - 4:00–4:30pm: Judges deliberate. - 4:30–5:00pm: Winners announced, plus snacks and mingling. **Why it's worth your weekend** This weekend is your opportunity to invest meaningful time to build a meaningful product, with direct access to Harvard and external experts who have been working on this problem in their everyday careers. You’ll not only leave with a working prototype and a portfolio-worthy product, but memories and time spent with students across Boston who care about these issues as much as you do. This event is for undergrads and grad students alike, whether you're into building games, curious about how people learn, or just tired of watching good conversations dissipate online and in person. You don't need a background in game design or civil discourse, just a willingness to spend a weekend building something innovative and meaningful. We will work with the winning team throughout the year to build out their prototype into a full-fledged product that will be included among our flagship resources. Every winning team will also be featured on our website and social media platforms. Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#) Save: [ Add to calendar calendar\_today ](https://www.ethics.harvard.edu/node/1637141/event-feed.ics) Copy link link