DORRs

• Overview
• Case Studies
• Sign-Up Form

DORRs: Dialogues On Race Relations

Dialogues on Race Relations (DORRs) brings together existing campus groups that do not normally interact for sustained dialogue on race relations and major issues facing their membership.

Dialogues on Race Relations (DORR) is an integral component of Duke's student group Center for Race Relations. The group was founded during the Spring Semester of 2003, and reached an impressive level of activity by the Fall of that year. Fall 2003, DORRs hosted an impressive 26 dialogues on a spectrum of topics - race, gender, sexuality, religion, and several others.

Overview

A sampling of dialogues recent dialogues include an on-going Women's Series entitled, "Sisters Beneath the Skin" that focuses on Women's Issues, an evaluation of the present state of Civil Rights, and a series of Interfraternal dialogues between fraternities belonging to both the mainly white Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the historically black National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

We hope to build upon the recent successes of the program by involving more of the Duke community in meaningful discourse on pressing human relations issues facing both Duke and the greater global community.

Come open DORRs!

There are several types of DORRs led by the Center for Race Relations:

1. Any campus group that is interested in dialogue can sign-up for a DORR, fully coordinated by the CRR. Groups can also request to dialogue with another specific campus group to discuss the similarities or differences between these two Duke populations.
2. Intra-group DORRs engage students within one organization in dialogue on rarely-discussed topics, such as the role of religion in a Panhellenic sorority.
3. Series of DORRs, such as "Sisters Beneath the Skin: Women dialoguing on race relations," enable smaller Duke communities to form new bonds.
4. Another series, "DORRs in the Dorm" enhances the living environment through dialogues with Resident Advisors, residents, and a team of trained freshmen in dormitories on East and West campus.

Each DORR is led by a trained facilitator and is tailored to the particular group(s)' needs.

Each DORR follows the same general format: introductions, icebreakers, activity, and discussion. Most DORRs last one-and-a-half hours are held between 7 pm and 10 pm.

The Center for Race Relations provides food and a location (usually the Multicultural Center, in the Bryan Center next to Von Canon).