Eboo Patel: Universities teach how to uplift each other in a diverse democracy

Students, faculty and staff from across the University of Wisconsin–Madison gathered in Tripp Commons at the Memorial Union on Wednesday afternoon to hear from Eboo Patel, an internationally recognized author, speaker, and founder and president of Interfaith America.   

The fireside chat between Patel and Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin was cohosted by the University Committee as part of the university’s ongoing efforts to promote dialogue and engagement across differences on topics like free speech, pluralism, and belonging.  

Patel is a leading international voice on pluralism, dedicated to including religious identity in discussions of diversity and multiculturalism. Under his leadership, Interfaith America has grown into the nation’s premier interfaith organization, equipping and inspiring leaders across generations and institutions to make faith a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division.  

“Who helps figure out how you live in a diverse democracy with deep and abiding conflicts? The university does,” Patel said.  

Universities initiate students into conflicts they will face in the real world, so when they leave campus, they’re more prepared to benefit the broader public, he said.

Following a brief presentation, Patel joined Mnookin in a conversation in which they discussed why pluralism is an inspiring way to approach diversity work and how institutions of higher education can help prepare students to listen productively and disagree on some fundamental things but cooperate in others.

Getting people who disagree to collaborate, cooperate, and live together is all part of the American experiment, Patel said. Universities are the perfect space to teach students how to engage with one another and contribute to a diverse democracy.   

“There is a sacredness to how we treat each other,” Patel said. “There are so few places on the planet and in human history that are about nurturing people’s potential. That is what this place is about, and we do it with a diverse community.” 

Chancellor Mnookin asked Patel what universities can do to create a community that people care about and see themselves in, especially as it seems more difficult to do so lately. Patel said he believes anyone on campus should feel privileged to be part of a university, an institution he calls “one of the jewels of American civilization.” 

“The purpose of the University of Wisconsin–Madison is to be of service to the state and nation—that’s the Wisconsin Idea,” Patel said. “How you get that, is inspiring the vision of the whole.” 

To find unity, people must learn how to appreciate a person’s identity as something that they’re proud of, not something that brings victimization status. He encouraged audience members to talk to a stranger and engage as widely as possible with others. 

“If you have the privilege of being in college, you should extend yourself as much as possible, to talk to people who are unlike you and learn as much as you can about how other people live,” he said. “They are everywhere. They are cooking your food, they are cleaning your floors, they are sleeping on the sidewalks in Madison.” 

Patel’s favorite metaphor for diversity work is the idea of a potluck.   

At a potluck, the fundamental assumption is everyone has a dish to bring; everybody has a contribution to make. In diversity work, the same framework can be applied, Patel said.  

“Everybody’s identity is valued. Has anybody hosted a pot luck where they said, ‘You are too oppressed to bring a dish?’” he asked. “No, that’s super insulting. But if you are hosting a pot luck, it’s a pretty good idea to recognize that some people have it pretty darn good, and there’s barriers to (other) people’s contributions.” 

It’s the role of the host to create a space in which people will talk to each other and enjoy dishes that make a creative combination.

Patel closed by saying the role of a university is to help nurture students’ talents for the public good, so that students can in turn lift other people up. It’s a tradition he noted that has been fostered by people on UW–Madison’s campus for years through the Wisconsin Idea. 

“This place didn’t fall from the sky or rise from the ground; people built it over decades and centuries,” Patel said.