When campus disturbances appear in headlines, much is made of perceived incivility and living in contentious times. But a recent study supported by Interfaith Youth Core showed that students actually are capable of maintaining friendships despite religious and political disagreements.
The Interfaith Diversity Experiences & Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS) followed a group of students who attended 122 campuses between 2015 and 2019 and presented the responses of 7,194 students. In it, researchers set out to look at the prevalence of close friendships across religious and worldview differences as well as how colleges and universities can support the development of such relationships. Among the findings, survey results showed that “students do not avoid religious and political conflict with their friends in their first year on campus†and that religious disagreements can have productive outcomes. The authors state that 37% of students say they’ve had, during their first year on campus, “a significant disagreement with a friend about religion and remained friends.â€
It went on to say, “Perhaps reflective of the 2016 presidential election and the salience of politics during that season, an even higher number of students – 52% – report having a significant disagreement with a friend about politics and remaining friends. Nearly two-thirds of first-term college students (64%) affirm that they stayed close to someone they cared about even though their religious or non-religious perspectives were incompatible.â€
Along with the survey results, the report (available online) offers three takeaways for structuring student experiences to improve these results. First is to create conditions (physical and programmatic) that promote an inclusive community. Second is to set expectations for students to reflect on their friendship circles and understand their value. And third is to model the practice by showing students how to intentionally build inter-worldview relationships.
— James A. Baumann
