Relational learning for building bridges over troubled waters

This study provides insights into a workshop series on the Swedish island Öland, which brought different people together to jointly discuss water scarcity issues and develop pathways forward. The authors wanted to better understand how people with diverse backgrounds and interests can get better at collaborating. Their investigation focused on ‘relational learning’–the process of learning to relate to others through listening to others’ perspectives, navigating disagreements, and connecting on a personal level.

Using insights from reflection exercises and interviews, the study reveals that participants enhanced their understanding of Öland's water scarcity issues, improved their ability to navigate differences in values and norms linked to ideas about a desirable future, created collaborative strategies, and established mutual trust and relationships. Through concrete examples of shifting perspectives, the findings demonstrate the potential of dialogue processes for addressing resource management conflicts.

Insights on how to support people in relational learning aim to guide researchers, decision-makers, and policy-makers in designing platforms for dialogue. These platforms prioritize meaningful exchange, collective sense-making, and reflective practices to foster cross-sectoral collaboration and build bridges—not only over troubled waters but also across the many divides societies around the world are facing.