Dialogate

Dialogate is a term used to describe a form of facilitated dialogue structured to foster mutual understanding and cooperative problem solving in contentious or diverse settings. It typically involves a trained facilitator, defined rules for engagement, active listening, paraphrasing, and reflectively summarizing participants’ positions, with the aim of exploring underlying interests rather than persuading others to adopt a fixed stance.

The word dialogate blends "dialogue" with the suffix "-ate" to denote an action or process. It emerged in late 20th- and early 21st-century discourses on civic discourse and conflict resolution, but it does not have a single canonical definition or provenance. As a neologism, its usage varies by community.

Dialogate can occur in person or online, in small circles or larger forums, in educational settings and public deliberation. Methods include predefined turns, neutral ground rules, reflective listening, solution-focused questions, and post-dialogue synthesis. It contrasts with debate by prioritizing understanding over winning and with conventional dialogue by incorporating explicit facilitation and outcome-oriented goals.

Supporters view dialogate as a practical approach to bridge divides and improve communication across communities. Critics argue that the term is vague, may be co-opted for performative purposes, and that its effectiveness depends on facilitator skill, participant willingness, and inclusivity.

See also: dialogue, deliberation, mediation, facilitation, constructive conversation.