Who Do You Talk to? ––Discussant Network Analysis among Missouri Civics Teachers amid Polarization

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 3:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Contested Classrooms: Censorship, Polarization, and Teacher Policy in U.S. Education

Abstract

Amid growing polarization, civic educators face shrinking opportunities to engage across ideological divides. This study investigates whether Missouri social studies teachers’ discussion networks influence their comfort in teaching contentious topics such as race, gender, elections, and Supreme Court rulings. Drawing on a statewide survey of 262 teachers and 31 follow-up interviews, the study applies discussant network analysis, adapted from political communication research, to K–12 civic education. Results indicate that larger and more heterogeneous networks—particularly those connecting teachers to individuals with different viewpoints—significantly predict greater comfort addressing controversial issues. These findings highlight the democratic value of “weak ties” in fostering bridging skills among educators and offer empirical guidance for designing professional development that strengthens teachers’ cross-perspective engagement.

Authors

• Chaebong Nam, University of Missouri - St. Louis

• Suhwon Lee, University of Missouri