ABSTRACT
There are controversies that invade the classroom in every subject. Civil society has opened debate on subjects that were once the province of technical specialists. Literature and the arts have always included dissent as a source of both inspiration and criticism. The social and behavioral sciences have made conflict the basis of their subject matters. Hence, few university classrooms are immune from the discussion of topics that engender strong reactions. Rather than avoiding these issues, the classroom should be the place where divisive issues can be discussed frankly, knowledgeably, and safely. The points offered in the following sections apply to all these issues as well as other kinds of interpersonal conflicts that can occur: challenges to the instructor’s authority, race and queer baiting and ad hominem attacks.
