The University of Toronto’s first-ever Advisor on Civil Discourse, Randy Boyagoda has spent years studying and advancing what it means to disagree well. He was named one of Toronto’s 50 most influential people by Toronto Life magazine in recognition of his work. A CBC Radio national columnist, prolific novelist, and English professor at U of T, Boyagoda explores why civil discourse — how we disagree, debate, and think out loud together — is the foundation of how we build trust, advance knowledge, and strengthen our teams, organizations, and communities, and why it’s needed now more than ever.
Boyagoda joined U of T in 2016, serving as their advisor on civil discourse from 2024-2026, the first such position in Canada. He chaired a working group that consulted over 1,500 participants, developing a working definition of civil discourse for the institution and proposing concrete ways to build it into university life — from first-year curriculum and faculty training to institution-wide programming. The work culminated in a final report whose eight recommendations were accepted in full by the university’s provost.
A bestselling author, Boyagoda has written seven books, four of which were nominated for the Giller Prize and the IMPAC Dublin Literary Prize. He is also the former President of PEN Canada and frequently writes opinions, essays, and reviews for publications such as the Atlantic, the New York Times, the Financial Times of London, the Globe and Mail, and The Walrus. Boyagoda will release his eighth book, Lords of Serendipity, in September 2026.
