Groups That Could Be Contacted For Support
University Empathy Research Centers or Projects
The Political Empathy Lab (PEL) at University of Pennsylvania
Political Empathy Lab (PEL) seeks to create a repertoire of approaches designed to integrate the emotional and cognitive pieces necessary during dialogue across difference. Political Empathy Lab also functions as a “gym” so students can regularly exercise these practices around dialogue and understanding.
Dialogue Across Differences: The Political Empathy Lab (PEL) at Penn -
Date: 12/10/2025 Time: 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM They are holding this workshop
Paideia spring 2024 course, Political Empathy and Deliberative Democracy,
Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism at Indiana University,
Dr. Sara Konrath, director
Empathy and Moral Psychology (EMP) Lab - Penn State
study the affective and motivational mechanisms involved in empathy and moral decision-making
Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion - UC San Diego
explores the neurobiology of compassion, informs medical education, and directly addresses the epidemic of physician burnout.
Sanford Institute has established six centers that span across various disciplines, focusing on specific domains within empathy and compassion.
Social Neuroscience Lab of the Max Planck Society - Berlin, Germany
investigates Human Social Behaviour as well as social emotions such as empathy and compassion and their trainability.
Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare - University of Leichester, UK
Jeremy Howick
proves patients' lives by pioneering a new approach to medical education and training that places empathy at the heart of healthcare. Our goal is to equip the NHS with empathic, compassionate, and resilient healthcare practitioners. Our research and partnerships will support the practice and structure of empathic healthcare in the UK and beyond.
Academics
William Miller - (link)
Marco Iacoboni Lab - UCLA (link)
Alison Martingano - Social Research Lab UW-Green Bay
Graham Bodie - (link) Professor, Media & Communication, University of Mississippi/Chief Listening Officer, Listen First Project
Guy Itzchakov - Israeli listening academic
Tania Singer - Prof. Dr. Tania Singer is a social neuroscientist and psychologist and world expert on empathy and compassion. (link)
William Ickes - William Ickes is a personality and social psychologist who is known primarily for his research on unstructured dyadic interaction.
Kevin Waldman - (link) Kevin Waldman conducts research at the intersection of men’s psychology, masculinity, performance, and LGBT mental health.
Bridging Organizations - maybe good for support and finding study participants
Braver Angels
Braver Angels is leading the nation’s largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic. check with Lou.
Listen First Project
network of several hundred bridging orgs
The Global Listening Movement
The Global Listening Movement is a vibrant collective of listening researchers, practitioners, educators, creators, and entrepreneurs dedicated to spreading the transformative power of listening.
BridgeUSA
A youth-led organization that creates chapters on high school and college campuses. It aims to foster a generation of young leaders who can engage constructively across political differences and promote a less-polarized political culture.
Turning Point USA
Right wing advocacy. May be able to recruit students to take part in the study.
National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD)
An umbrella organization that serves as a hub for the "dialogue and deliberation" field. The NCDD connects thousands of practitioners, organizations, and academics and provides resources and a community of practice.
Weave: The Social Fabric Project
Founded by New York Times columnist David Brooks and housed at the Aspen Institute, Weave focuses on supporting and connecting local community leaders ("Weavers") who are repairing the social fabric through local action.
New Pluralists
This is a philanthropic collaborative that funds and supports a wide range of organizations (including many on this list) working to build a more pluralistic and less-divided America. They focus on healing division and building a "culture of pluralism.
Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)
A Washington, D.C.-based think tank that actively tries to build consensus between Democrats and Republicans. It was founded by former Senate Majority Leaders and works to develop and promote bipartisan policy solutions to major national challenges.
Petaluma conversations (Bridging Social & political divides through listening)
The purpose of Petaluma Conversations is to provide a place where people can come together and listen to each other, to get to know one another, and to understand each other, even if they don’t agree with each other; to build community across differences.
Disagree Better
I reached out to my friend who is the executive director at Disagree Better (Meet Our Team - Leaders Behind Disagree Better) and she's interested to meet after Thanksgiving. Her group has been really outspoken in the wake of the assassination, so they would be a great nonprofit to work with as well. Jodie
Utah Valley University
I also met the VP of Utah Valley University (where Charlie Kirk was assassinated) and he is passionate about depolarization and is planning to implement some initiatives on campus. His research background is in empathy, so he's excited to work together with us. I'll probably meet with him next. Jodie
Civic Health Project
Advancing massively scalable, technology-driven solutions to bridge divides, foster civil discourse, and strengthen social cohesion worldwide.
The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI)
They research similar topics. Reach out to them for potential partnership or advisory support. They may help you recruit participants from their existing networks.
Bridge Alliance
This is a coalition of organizations working on depolarization. Action: Join their network. They often have "micro-grants" or can blast your study recruitment link to their newsletters, saving you thousands in advertising costs.