Discourseinviting

Discourseinviting is a term used to describe the deliberate practice of inviting and fostering productive, civil discourse within a community or online platform. The word combines discourse, meaning the exchange of ideas, with inviting, emphasizing proactive inclusion. It is not a formal field with a fixed definition in major reference works, but it appears in discussions of community management, moderation, and online pedagogy. The core aim is to lower participation barriers and broaden the range of voices contributing to conversations.

Practices associated with discourseinviting include posting open-ended prompts, explicitly inviting underrepresented groups to share perspectives, acknowledging contributions, and modeling respectful language. In online discussion environments, invitations may be implemented through onboarding messages, welcome threads, structured prompts, and accessible formats. In contexts using the Discourse forum software, inviting new participants can involve visible prompts, clear norms, and trust-level considerations, though discourseinviting is not a standardized feature name within the software.

Benefits of discourseinviting include higher levels of participation, richer and more diverse exchanges, a stronger sense of belonging, and improved decision-making processes. However, there are risks to manage, such as tokenistic or performative invitations, potential manipulation of the discussion, and the possibility of pressuring individuals to participate. Effective implementation typically requires ongoing moderation to maintain civility and relevance.

Best practices emphasize transparency about goals, clear and inclusive community guidelines, accessible language and formats, and opportunities for feedback. Evaluating discourseinviting efforts may involve qualitative assessments of conversation quality, participation diversity, and the perceived inclusivity of the discourse. Related concepts include inclusive deliberation, facilitation, civility guidelines, and general community management.