people talking at civic sips

Common Ground Project

Launched in August 2025, this partnership between LSU’s Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) utilizes survey research and programming to understand and reduce political polarization in Louisiana, while promoting dialogue and civic thought.

The nonpartisan Common Ground Project explores what it means to communicate in a polarized world and provides LSU students and Louisiana citizens with information and opportunities for engaging constructively across ideological lines and viewpoints.

 

read our guest column in the advocate

press release


Through the combined strengths of the Reilly Center’s academic assets and survey center access, plus PAR’s public policy research and issue area expertise, we can hopefully make a positive impact on the way Louisianans talk, walk, and work with one another.

Michael DiResto, Director of the Reilly Center


The Common Ground Survey

This opinion poll of Louisiana residents, to be conducted by the Reilly Center’s Public Policy Research Lab, will focus on gauging measures of polarization across the state, compared to national trends, as well as areas of shared opinion or beliefs. Stay tuned for poll results. 

Pizza & Public Affairs

This monthly on-campus discussion series for LSU students features a guest speaker (such as a public official, civic leader, public affairs practitioner, or expert on polarization) who, in a casual dialogue format over lunch, shares with students how they have achieved successful policy or program outcomes by building coalitions and communicating in a way that bridges division. 

Past Speakers:

  • Rep. Jack McFarland 

  • Clay Young

  • Liz Mangham 

 

pizza and public affairs event photo of the crowd

Pizza and Public affairs event photo of the crowd

 

Civic Sips

This discussion series invites Louisiana citizens to join in casual but serious conversations about topics related to civic responsibility, media literacy, state policy issues, and polarization’s sources and remedies. In its early stages, Civic Sips will be hosted at establishments in or near downtown Baton Rouge. Plans for the start of the series are still in development. 

 

A group speaking to each other at civic sips.

The crowd at civic sips

 

The Reilly Center and PAR hope the Common Ground Project engages communities to identify shared values, rebuild trust across divides, and respond to the structural and cultural drivers of division in Louisiana’s civic landscape.  And leaders of the two organizations are actively exploring additional opportunities to expand the partnership, including potential presentations to civic organizations and other events and programs across Louisiana.