Conversation Topics

Our team members have diverse perspectives. We create Conversation Guides with the goal of making them welcoming to people across the political and cultural spectrum. We offer topic guides for over 100 different topics. Browse all our topics below, or browse by category in the left menu (desktop only).

Talking About Politics

The U.S. is the oldest democratic republic in the world, but democracy can’t function when we are unable to talk through our differences. If the American experiment is to survive, we must begin the work of domestic peace building.

 

Talking about Politics

Belonging and Building Understanding

This year we’re leaning into the theme of belonging and hoping 2022 is the year we all feel more seen and heard. COVID has impacted many of our relationships and ability to gather. These resources will help you connect and build better communication.

Belonging and Understanding

Talking About Race​

The motto of Living Room Conversations is respect, relate, connect. We know that in the pursuit of racial equity, individual conversations are not the final stop in the journey. Conversations can help us better understand individual bias and racism, as well as consider how racism is part of our systems and institutions. We have created this resource page in response to increased demand and desire to have conversations about race.

Talking about Race

Join an Online Conversation

Every week, Living Room Conversations hosts conversations on our preferred video platform, Kazm. Join an existing conversation via the link below, or check out more than our 100 conversation guides in order to start a conversation of your own.

Join a Conversation

Topics A-Z

Browse all our Conversation Guides below from A-Z. Click the links to explore each Conversation Guide. You can also download a PDF of the conversation for your own use. 

Create your own topic

We have over 100 topics, but maybe you can’t find one that appeals to you? You can build your own topic with these easy guidelines. 

Tips to create your own :

Write an opening paragraph to frame the conversation. Make it welcoming to people who hold differing beliefs. (Our conversation materials are reviewed by a diverse group of partners with the intent to have the paragraph be clear and free of red flags that might put off readers you would like to welcome.) 
 
Keep the questions for round 1 the same. These questions help us get to acquainted with one another and discover our common humanity.
 
The “secret sauce” for Living Room Conversations are the open-ended questions in round 2. Here are some tips for developing your own great questions:
  • Work with your cohost to come up with several questions that satisfy you both.
  • Be curious. What would you ask if you didn’t have an opinion or position?
  • Examine what your own position is on the topic. Notice if you are framing questions that favor your viewpoint or disallow other viewpoints.
  • How did you develop your own perspective? What question would bring that out?
  • Beware of including trigger words in your questions, like climate change, anti-___, rights and control. 
Keep the questions for round 3 the same. They are designed to allow you and your guests to appreciate each other and declare any future action.
 
Do you want to provide links to any background materials for people who want to do a bit of research ahead of time? We often link to www.allsides.com materials to be transparent about bias.  

Need Support? Contact Us!

We'd love to support you in creating a new topic. Drop us a note and let us assist.