معرفی
Kara N. Dillard serves as an Assistant Professor in Digital Democratic Practice within the School of Communication at James Madison University (JMU), a position she has held since 2019. She additionally holds key roles as Research Associate at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, Director of Research for JMU's Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue (ICAD), operations specialist for Common Ground for Action, and moderator training specialist for the National Issues Forums Institute.
Her academic credentials include a PhD in Sociology from Kansas State University alongside degrees in Communication Studies, forming the foundation for her interdisciplinary approach to democratic practice. This educational background directly informs her research methodology and teaching philosophy.
Dr. Dillard's research specializes in online deliberation platforms, particularly examining how structured citizen dialogues on Common Ground for Action influence participant attitudes and behaviors. She designs public engagement processes to address complex community issues through both digital and face-to-face frameworks, bridging communication studies with political sociology to advance democratic theory and practice.
With extensive practical experience, she has facilitated over 100 deliberative discussions across campus and community settings. Her teaching portfolio includes SCOM 123 Fundamentals of Human Communication and specialized courses in Political Deliberation, Facilitation Training, and Civic Engagement in Urban Governance, where she integrates academic theory with real-world application.
She maintains active leadership within the JMU Institute for Constructive Advocacy and Dialogue (ICAD) and collaborates with national organizations to develop constructive dialogue methodologies, significantly contributing to the field of deliberative democracy through both scholarly and practical channels.
