Chautauqua Institute

Saturdays, 3:00 – 5:00 PM EST - $135 (Feb. 20 – March 20, 2021)

(Flexible format - Ages 18+)

The way that we listen determines the stories that we will be told. In this course, we will analyze and practice the strategic art of listening with empathy (a very different skill set from the back-and-forth banter of conversation). Whether we are writing our own family history, an essay about an encounter with a complicated fellow human, or a novel, the nuance and complexity of our prose will only be strengthened by listening to those we perceive as different from ourselves. At this precise moment in history, when divides can feel uncrossable, listening across difference can help us to tell the story whole–and it strengthens our resilience as humans and as writers. Students are invited to bring excerpts of their own prose-in-progress, or undertake a new project inspired by the course. Come prepared to take risks, be playful and brave connection.