How journalists can learn from the cultural history of “deep listening”

Credit: Elizabeth Ferrier / America Amplified

Elizabeth Ferrier and Brittani Howell co-wrote this post.

In community engagement journalism, we use “deep listening” as a way to connect with people in our communities on a more empathetic level. It is a different kind of listening than what we, as journalists, are used to.  Instead of listening for a story, we're listening for understanding.  Making that change is easier said than done. Luckily, we can find inspiration in the practice’s rich historical and cultural roots. After learning how other people and cultures have used deep listening to center empathy and community-building, check out our practical tips for using deep listening in your own work.  

Historical context

One place we can look to for inspiration in our listening practices is Australia’s northern territory. In aboriginal communities of this region, “Dadirri” is a cultural practice of listening to one another. “Dadirri” embodies healing, empowerment, and truth-telling. According to research into the practices of the Ngan’gikurunggkurr people from the Daly River region, “Dadirri” involves aligning yourself with the other person — and breathing with them — to understand individual and cultural traumas, ultimately achieving a deeper state of connection. “Dadirri” can be a reminder to community engaged journalists of the power of staying in the present moment when listening.

During the Vietnam War, Zen Buddhist and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh advocated for deep listening. His influential teachings hinged on the concept of deep listening as the way toward peace. As journalists, we will listen to many different experiences that won’t always align with ours. Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings remind us to understand our differences through empathy.

Finally, in the post-World War II era, one of the most influential people to champion deep listening was Pauline Oliveros, an early pioneer of electronic music. Oliveros founded the Center for Deep Listening. She distinguished between the passive nature of hearing and the intentional nature of listening. Her philosophy of deep listening encourages us to listen in as many ways as possible to everything that can be heard. Oliveros’ approach to deep listening is creative, imaginative, and community-centered.

Bringing deep listening into your work

Connection. Empathy. Community-centered. When you begin listening deeply, do so with an eye toward these attributes. Stories are always going to be a part of our job as journalists, but as community-engaged journalists, we have to listen to people for understanding rather than for what we can do with what they tell us. That part comes later, after listening has been done and some trust has been established. Here are some practical steps to get you started.

Do a practice empathy interview. Call up a source with whom you have a decent relationship, or a friend, or a colleague, and ask them if you can do an empathy interview to practice some deep listening skills. Look up some empathy interview guides, like this one from Arizona State University, for guidance on how to craft an empathy interview. 

Don’t take notes. Whenever anyone is talking to me, I feel an instinctive urge to reach for a pen, and I bet you do too. That’s a good impulse for a journalist to have! But for your empathy interview, curb it and put the pen down. Pay attention to your interviewee’s words, tone, body language and other cues. Don’t listen for bullet points to write down. Be fully present. Take a look at this write-up from author Cheryl Carpenter about a time she felt very listened to, and see if you can give your interviewee the same level of close attention. 

Try looping. Looping is a practice of “distilling, restating and reflecting back to the person [you are] interviewing.” During your empathy interview, take a few moments to repeat back to your interviewee your understanding of what they are saying, and ask, “Did I get that right?” If they say no, try again, or ask what you got wrong and then try again until you get it. Repeat this at different points during the interview. As Carpenter writes, “Looping isn’t about getting an accurate quote; it’s about getting deeply held beliefs portrayed accurately.” 

Respect space. If your interviewee indicates they don’t want to talk about a particular topic or answer a particular question, respect their wishes. This interview is for understanding and trust-building, and respecting boundaries is a big part of building trust. 

It’s a different way of doing things than contemporary journalism teaches us. But taking the time to listen deeply, and to connect with someone for the sake of understanding rather than for a story, builds the kind of trust that our industry as a whole is sorely lacking right now. By prioritizing empathy, community and connection through deep listening, we can restore that trust and be better journalists for it.