A sense of belonging. A desire for civility. Both seem necessary for a welcoming and respectful society, especially during the holiday season.

But what happens when these ideas backfire? Social justice advocate Howard Ross says our desire for belonging can have negative effects when we create community out of people who only reflect our own experiences. And academic Lara Schwartz says calls for civility are too often deployed as a rulebook for those already sitting at the top.

Guest host Marc Fisher discusses better ways to think about belonging and civil discourse with two experts, and a Washingtonian trying to promote discourse in a fractured political landscape.

Produced by Ruth Tam