Argumentation and public service: dialogue as the foundation of democracy

In an interview with SSR Svizzera italiana CORSI, Sara Greco, Full Professor of Argumentation and Director of the Institute of Argumentation, Linguistics and Semiotics (IALS) at USI, explored the value of dialogue in contemporary democratic debate. She focused particularly on the dynamics of polarisation, the role of digital platforms, and the responsibility of public service media in fostering constructive discussion between differing viewpoints.

According to Professor Sara Greco, although the means and methods of communication have evolved, dialogue remains an essential tool for navigating disagreement and guiding decisions towards reasonable solutions. "Communication is a powerful tool, which we must learn to use dialogically to help build the common good," the IALS Director observes, highlighting how technological transformations open the door to new opportunities, but also present fresh risks for democracy.

Among the primary causes of increasing polarisation in public debate, Greco identifies the tendency to oversimplify complex issues. "This 'with me or against me' logic reduces reality to stark opposites, preventing us from grasping its nuances. In argumentation studies, black-and-white thinking is considered a fallacy because it completely oversimplifies a reality that exists in multiple shades of grey," the USI expert explains. Navigating this complexity requires time, courage, critical reflection, and trust in dialogue, conditions that appear increasingly fragile today.

Furthermore, the widespread adoption of digital platforms demands a renewed educational commitment. According to Greco, merely producing content is not enough to generate true debate: "We must abandon the illusion that dialogue can be taken for granted. It is vital to build and defend open, positively critical spaces for discussion, particularly by promoting education in authentic listening and understanding others." Engaging with ideas that clash with our own, she stresses, should not be perceived as a threat, but rather as an opportunity for individual and collective growth.

In this context, public service broadcasting plays a uniquely important role. For the Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, public media can provide forums for debate that are not merely spectacles of conflict, but spaces for serious and respectful dialogue grounded in verified sources, reasonableness, and the capacity to listen. This responsibility directly involves journalists, who are called upon to design and moderate these spaces for discussion.

Looking ahead to the debate on the future of public service broadcasting, the professor reaffirms its vital value to the quality of democratic life. "Today, we cannot take for granted having examples of authentic dialogue right before our eyes," she states. For this reason, she concludes, public service media can serve an exemplary and educational function, helping to preserve the conditions necessary for a healthy, informed, and inclusive democratic debate.

The full interview is available online. (Italian only).