Journal of IOA Article Examines Role of Civility

Julia L. Farmer, the Director of Ombuds Services at the University of West Georgia, is the author of a new article in the peer-reviewed Journal of the International Ombuds Association. In "Navigating Civility’s Baggage: Some Thoughts for Ombuds Practitioners," Farmer offers some important context for Ombuds engage with visitors around the issue of civility. The article is the first in a JIOA Special Issue on Politics and Polarization.
Here is the abstract of the article:

The idea of civility has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, as marginalized and disempowered groups have grappled with the ways in which calls for civility have been used to suppress dissent and maintain the status quo. This article describes some of the controversies around civility in more detail, including a look at the term’s connection the history of racial oppression, challenges to academic freedom and freedom of expression, and the NLRB’s concept of protected concerted activity. It then offers some questions for ombuds practitioners to consider as they work through whether and how to reference civility in their own organizations.

(JIOA 2024.)

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