Seventh Annual Graduate Education Symposium: Enhancing Diversity And Inclusion In Peace And Conflict Resolution

The Seventh Annual Graduate Education Symposium:

Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in Peace and Conflict Resolution

Tuesday, October 10, 2017 (8:30 am to 5 pm)

1400 K Street, Washington DC

The Alliance for Peacebuilding would like share information with you about the upcoming Graduate Education Symposiumto be held on October 10 in Washington, DC before our 2017 Annual Conference! The event is being organized by the Center for Conflict Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in partnership with the United States Institute of Peace and the Alliance for Peacebuilding.

The theme for this year’s symposium is Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in Peace and Conflict Resolution. The event will provide a forum for educators, practitioners, trainers, program managers, administrators, who prepare future conflict resolvers and peacebuilders, to discuss the efforts being made to make peace and conflict studies programs more diverse and inclusive. This includes innovations in curriculum, teaching approaches and recruitment policies for faculty and students.

Registration will be by invitation for the first half of the day to Program Directors and designates, and given space and budget limitations, we will only be able to host a small number of representatives from each program. The second half of the Symposium will be open invitation and registration will be limited. Participants will need to cover their own travel and accommodation costs. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. The agenda will consist of plenary sessions, small group discussions and a keynote address. Registration for the invitation only and open invitation segments include a small fee to help cover costs.

To learn more about the event theme, how to register, or submit a proposal, please visit the webpage here.

All questions and queries should be sent to: ccsatmiis@gmail.com.

We hope to see you there!

For more info click here

 OVERVIEW:

ANNOUNCING OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER – IMANI MICHELLE SCOTT

We live in a world of deep divisions and polarization that is represented in our politics, that is experienced socially and economically and that escalates identity conflicts, turning them into complex and intractable tragedies. Inequity – built on race, ethnicity, religion, language, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability status, age, physical attributes, class, cultural background, nationality and more – dominates public spaces, and the conversations in these spaces creates greater polarization. Educational institutions of higher learning are no exception to these trends, and the growing number of race-related incidents on campuses across the country is just one indicator of an imminent challenge that should concern us all.

As members of academic, research and practice institutions, where intellectualism and activism meet, we are most equipped to bring conversations about diversity to the forefront of all we do as well as being capable of developing tools to deal with these conflicts. Additionally, as members of the peace and conflict studies field, we know that to reduce inequity around us, we must begin by examining inwardly into ourselves and our own profession while also reflecting on how diverse, inclusive and tolerant we are as a field of education.

We – as educators, practitioners, trainers, program managers, administrators, who prepare future conflict resolvers and peacebuilders to intervene in these complex conflicts – have a responsibility to review and ensure that our curriculum and teaching methodology reflects the diverse needs of the students, future practitioners and the communities they will serve. Diversity in the peace and conflict resolution curriculum in turn would also help diversify the student body attracted to the field leading to a richer dialogue that supports tolerance and inclusion. We know that we must also look deeper into our own identities and the impact that has on the shape and direction the field. Our identities also reflect our ability to bring diverse perspectives that are the cornerstone of our field. The ultimate goal of bringing more diversity to our field of education is that of social justice – we directly and in our immediate environment, transform structures that challenge injustices and ensure a more equitable society. We invite you join us in this very timely, important and urgent conversation.