Archive for December, 2007

International Institute on Peace Education : 2008 Conference

Tuesday, December 25th, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on the 2008 conference ‘Critical Pedagogy: Educating for Justice and Peace’ to be held in Haifa, Israel.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

International Institute on Peace Education 2008

July 28 - August 4 * Haifa, Israel
“Critical Pedagogy: Educating for Justice and Peace”

The International Institute on Peace Education (IIPE) 2008 will take place from July 28 to August 4 in Haifa, Israel hosted by the Jewish-Arab Center of the University of Haifa and the Center of Critical Pedagogy of Kibbutzim College of Education. The event is being co-organized by the above hosts and the Peace Education Center at Teachers College, Columbia University in partnership with Global Education Associates.

IIPE was founded in 1982 by Dr. Betty Reardon and faculty colleagues at Teachers College and has been held annually in different parts of the world. The IIPE is not a traditional conference but rather a “learning community” in which the organizers and participants work together to nurture an inclusive, highly interactive learning environment. It is an intensive multicultural and cooperative learning opportunity in which participants learn from and with each other about substantive peace issues and interactive teaching approaches. The IIPE is also an opportunity for networking and community building among those who educate and work for a culture of peace in the host region and around the world.

IIPE 2008 THEME: Critical Pedagogy: Educating for Justice and Peace

IIPE 2008 will explore the theme of “Critical Pedagogy: Educating for Justice and Peace.” It will deal with issues of dialogical education for social change and the intersection of peace education and critical pedagogy, relating to the question of what kind of peaceful society we are striving for. Peace Education in Israel has concentrated mostly on the Jewish-Arab conflict. Various names describe it: education for co-existence, Jewish-Arab encounter, dialogical groups, neighbors, living with the other, etc. In groups where Palestinians and Israelis sit together and discuss their relationships the historical narratives are often learned. In other parts of the world, however, peace education is called by different names according to the political constraints of the region.

This year’s IIPE will try to examine the complexity of peace education issues in an unequal society. It will strive to explore goals of equal education, schooling despite the pressure of violent conflict, economic justice, the challenges of environmental violence, structural violence, and ties of politics and education. The IIPE core inquiry will focus on the concept of education for a culture of peace and the social change needed to achieve it. We will seek to examine the link between local-regional problems, global issues, and universal developments, and look for ways to address them in education. Relevant sub-themes include the relationship between social violence and armed conflicts; issues in education that most affect marginalized populations such as the poor, women, migrant workers, and people with disabilities; the need to raise awareness of global environmental justice issues, small arms control, nuclear threats, poverty, first–third world power relations and the global campaign against sex trafficking. Thus, the upcoming IIPE will explore innovative ways and educational strategies to enhance social critical consciousness and methods of activism through education.

We encourage each applicant to consider how they might contribute to this exploration from their own experience regionally, as a formal or informal educator, or as an advocate or activist (see application form). Together, we hope to illuminate the gaps and complementarities of peace education and critical pedagogy.

For more information and to apply please visit the IIPE website at:
www.tc.edu/PeaceEd/IIPE

Participation Fees
This year’s participation fees are still being determined. Participation fees are estimated between 400-550 Euros ($575-800 USD). Organizers are presently fundraising and in other ways working to reduce overall costs. The final participation fees will be determined before the close of the application period (March 1). Participation fees cover all onsite costs including food, housing (double occupancy), local transportation and excursions.

Application Information
We ask all potential participants to please apply online via the IIPE website: www.tc.edu/PeaceEd/iipe. Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2008 for full consideration. Notices of acceptances will be sent in mid to late March. If you require an earlier response for funding or institutional purposes please contact the IIPE secretariat at info[@]i-i-p-e.org.

Acceptance for participation in the IIPE is based upon applicant’s potential contribution to the goal of developing and strengthening peace education and critical pedagogy in the host region and toward a more global perspective on peace education among all participants. While we would like to accept everyone who applies, the number of applicants usually exceeds the places at each institute. The IIPE attempts to practice the principles of peace education by engaging all participants in our short term learning community in an experience of participatory learning in which all of us can learn from each other. We have found that increasing our numbers beyond 70 participants diminishes the effectiveness of this aspect of the institute, so we are unable to accept all applicants.

Among other criteria, first priority is given to those applicants coming from the surrounding host region. The IIPE attempts to explore themes and issues that are particularly relevant to the host region and works to build regional solidarity among peace educators. Thus, a minimum of 50% of the participants will come from the Mediterranean region. In selecting the remainder of the international participants we attempt to maintain a geographical balance and variety in experience and substantive expertise. All applicants should specifically demonstrate how they will apply their peace education and critical pedagogy learnings in their countries or local communities as that will be a significant criteria of selection.

As a learning community experience the IIPE requires full-time participation from all participants. You must be able to participate in the full period of the IIPE (July 28-August 4) for your application to be considered. If after acceptance a participant finds he or she must leave early or arrive late, their place will be given to another on the waiting list.

Scholarship
The institute operates on a self-sustaining basis in which all participants, including the organizers and presenters pay their own travel and participation fees or find their own funding. Each year numerous applicants request various amounts of scholarship support and the IIPE seeks to raise a scholarship fund for participants coming from currency poor or post-conflict countries. Scholarships are typically not provided for participants applying from the US or Western Europe. Scholarships come only in the form of participation fee waivers. The IIPE does not provide financial support for travel to and from the institute. If you think you will be in need of scholarship please indicate so when applying.

Please Help Future Peace Educators to Participate
Although we are generally fortunate to be able to find a limited amount of funding to provide fee waivers for a very few individuals, we are unable to fulfill the needs of the requests from many in areas most in need of peace education. We hope you might consider a contributionto the IIPE to fund scholarships for participants from currency poor and post conflict countries. Your generosity will help ensure that those potential participants in greatest need of training and solidarity will be able to attend the institute. We would be grateful for any amount you may be able to donate. All donations are tax deductible. To donate, please clip and return the following form to the address indicated.

IIPE 2008 Scholarship Fund

I would like to make a suggested, tax-deductible donation in the estimated amount of 550€ Euros ($800) to support the full participation fees for one participant to IIPE 2008.

I would like to make a tax-deductible donation in the amount of $ in partial support of the participation fees for participants in need of scholarship assistance to IIPE 2008.

My employer will match this donation.

Name

Address

City/State/Zip

Email

Please make checks payable to: Global Education Associates (indicate “IIPE scholarship” in the memo section)

Mail to: Global Education Associates * 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1626B * New York, NY 10115
(212) 870-3290 * info@i-i-p-e.org

Questions or comments? Contact info@i-i-p-e.org

Wishing Us All a More Dignified 2008 - with an Important Story of Resilience!

Tuesday, December 25th, 2007

Dear HumanDHS Friends!

Please have a look at this interview at YouTube !

You will witness an important story of resilience! Poverty and humiliations of all kinds did not keep Ben Carson in the grips of victimhood!

Dr. Carson’s mother asked him: “Do you have a brain?” Or: “Problems?” “Move on, do not dwell on them!”

May I convey all my love to you, wishing us all the dignity and resilience in 2008 that this interview encourages us to take seriously and embark on!

By saying this, I do not want to minimize or deny the suffering of people who have no chance even when trying as hard as they can.

What I wish to do is encourage those among us who have resources (time and access to knowledge and technology, etc.) to stop waiting, and to get into serious action by investing some of their resources into changing the world towards more mutuality and equality in dignity for our human family on our little planet!

We need to be careful that we build and protect enough “carrying capacity,” both ecologically and socially - the carrying capacity of our biosphere for ecological sustainability, and the carrying capacity of global human solidarity for social sustainability!

At the current point in history there is no lack of ideas for solutions for the world’s problems, all experts agree on that. Ideas and solutions abound. What is lacking is the “political will” to get into action! Let us do something about this in 2008, everybody as she or he can! And let us do it in a Mandela-way!

Evelin

Conference on Gender and Borders/Boundaries

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on an upcoming conference at Manchester University.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

GENDER AND BORDERS/BOUNDARIES
Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Conference
At Manchester University

June 27, 2008

In association with

Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies/ University of Leeds Migration and Diaspora Cultural Studies Network Department of Theology and Religious Studies/University of Leeds Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies/University of Manchester

This one day postgraduate conference seeks to examine issues of gender and borders/boundaries across a range of critical perspectives. We want to encourage innovative and interdisciplinary dialogues and welcome postgraduate students from a variety of disciplines, such as anthropology, cultural studies, gender studies, religion, sociology, psychology, politics, geography and social work.

Borders/boundaries are sites for exclusion, control and dominance, but they are also sites for exchange, transgression and creativity. With this postgraduate conference we want to focus on gender and the ways in which it interacts with the forces and powers of national borders and/or the boundaries of the body. We invite papers that focus on the dynamics between gender and borders/boundaries both from ethnographic and theoretical perspectives.

We would welcome papers addressing (but not limited to) the following key themes of the conference:

o Boundaries, space and liminality
o Borderlands, identity and gender
o Intersectionality of gender, globalisation and borders
o Gendered migration across borders
o The body as a site of boundaries and contestation
o Questioning category boundaries
o Contesting borders/ LGBTQ anti-border activism
o Gender and transnationalism
o Transgression of borders/boundaries
o Sex work and trafficking across borders
o Sex tourism
o Migrant sex work

Abstracts should be no more than 300 words sent to:

Amy M. Russell and Susanne Hofmann at:

genderbordersboundaries[@]hotmail.com

Deadline 1st February 2008.

Please include your title, name, institutional affiliation and a brief (100 words) outline of your work

AfricAvenir Newsletter December 2007

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below the AfrcAvenir Newsletter.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

AfricAvenir Newsletter

kurz vor den Feiertagen möchten wir noch einen kleinen Ausblick auf Januar 2008 in Berlin und Douala geben. Zudem informieren wir über die neuesten Artikel und News auf unserer Website.

Wir wünschen allen Vereinsmitgliedern und den Freund/innen und Unterstützer/innen von AfricAvenir erholsame Feiertage und einen guten Start ins neue Jahr. Wir bedanken uns für Ihr Interesse und Ihre Unterstützung in den letzten Monaten und Jahren. Gerne möchten wir Sie ermutigen, die Infos von AfricAvenir auch an Freunde und Bekannte weiterzugeben, um unseren Interessenten- und Unterstützerkreis zu erweitern. Herzlichen Dank dafür!

1. AfricAvenir Berlin
2. AfricAvenir Douala
3. Neu auf www.africavenir.org

1. AFRICAVENIR BERLIN

Am 17. und 18. Januar 2008 präsentiert AfricAvenir International e.V. zwei Vorstellungen seines Kooperationspartners, Schauspielensemble abok:

17. und 18. Januar 2008, 19.00 Uhr
WIDERSTAND- Eine Erinnerung
akustische Live-Installation

Der Kameruner DUALA MANGA BELL, die Namibier HENDRIK WITBOOI und SAMUEL MAHARERO sowie KINJEKETILE NGWALE aus Tanzania erinnern an ihren Widerstand gegen die deutsche Kolonialherrschaft.

Mit: Ellington Mingus, Dorothée Reinoss, Nino Sandow
Leitung:Philippa Ebéné

Eintritt: frei
Link: www.abok.info, http://africavenir.com/news/2007/12/1673/
Ort: Werkstatt der Kulturen, Wissmannstr. 32 U-Bhf. Hermannplatz U7, U8, Bus M29, M41, 171, 194, 344

17. und 18. Januar 2008, 20:30 Uhr
HILDA von Marie NDiaye
Szenische Lesung

Madame Lemarchand sucht nach einem Dienstmädchen. Da trifft sie auf den Namen “Hilda”, der ihre größten Erwartungen weckt. Madame verlangt mehr von Hilda, als die üblichen Dienste im Haushalt, sie möchte auch das Vertrauen und die Freundschaft der jungen Frau besitzen. Dafür zahlt sie auch. Franck, Hildas Ehemann lässt sich auf das Geschäft ein. Ein erbittertes Machtspiel setzt ein, bei dem es um Geld, Prestige und persönliche Erfüllung geht.

Inronisch und mit sehr viel Sprachwitz kommentiert Marie NDiaye das Dominanzverhältnis zwischen Habenden und Habenichtsen, zwischen Nord und Süd, zwischen Herrschenden und Beherrschten.

Mit: Miriam Goldschmidt, Dorothée Reinoss, Nino Sandow
Leitung: Philippa Ebéné
Link: www.abok.info, http://africavenir.com/news/2007/12/1674/

Eintritt: EUR 5 / ermässigt EUR 4
Ort: Werkstatt der Kulturen, Wissmannstr. 32 U-Bhf. Hermannplatz U7, U8, Bus M29, M41, 171, 194, 344

Die Veranstaltungen finden mit freundlicher Unterstützung der Werkstatt der Kulturen, der Stiftung DO und der Stiftung Umverteilen statt.

2. AFRICAVENIR DOUALA

« Eduquer par le cinéma – Bildung durch Film »
Im Januar 2008 startet die Stiftung AfricAvenir in Douala ein groß angelegtes Filmprojekt. AfricAvenir wird in Zusammenarbiet mit 16 Schulen, der Universität Douala und einigen der umliegenden Communities Filme afrikanischer Filmemacher/innen zeigen und diskutieren. Neben der größeren Bekanntmachung dieser Filme und die Diskussion der Inhalte, Perspektiven und Visionen afrikanischer Filmemacher/innen, ist ein Ziel dieses Programms, die zuständigen staatlichen Stellen davon zu überzeugen, den afrikanischen Film stärker in schulische Lehrpläne einzubeziehen. Wöchentliche Informationen ab Januar unter : http://www.africavenir.com/africavenir/douala/cinema/index.php

Ausschreibung : Praktikum im Rahmen des Projekts « Bildung mittels Film » in Douala
Im Rahmen des oben beschriebenen Filmprojekts möchte die Stiftung AfricAvenir auch deutschen und europäischen Student/innen die Möglichkeit geben, ein mind. dreimonatiges Praktikum in Douala zu absolvieren. Voraussetzungen sind gute Kenntnisse der französischen Sprache, Interesse am Medium Film und erste Erfahrungen in den Bereichen Bildungsarbeit oder Kulturmanagement. Allgemeine Informationen über Praktika bei AfricAvenir unter : http://africavenir.com/exchange/internship/index.php

3. NEU AUF WWW.AFRICAVENIR.ORG

Das AfricAvenir Dialogforum 2007 in der Böll-Stiftung zum Nachhören
Das AfricAvenir Dialogforum 2007 beschäftigte sich mit den Verschränkungen von ‘Macht und Wissen’ in den Beziehungen zwischen Afrika und Europa. Zentrale Themenkomplexe waren dabei: „Wahrnehmung Afrikas in der deutschen Öffentlichkeit“, „Wissensproduktion über Afrika in Deutschland“ und „Sprachpolitik in Afrika“. Einige der Vorträge können nun auf unserer Website nachgehört werden, unter: http://www.africavenir.com/africavenir/berlin/dialogue-forum/index.php

Exchange & Dialogue: Weihnachtsangebot
Der Verlag Editions AfricAvenir / Exchange & Dialogue bietet bis zum 31.12. einen Sonderrabatt von 25% auf alle im Verlag Editions AfricAvenir / Exchange & Dialogue erschienenen Bücher an!* (* Dies gilt für alle direkt über den Verlag bestellten Bücher, siehe unten). Bestellungen an: bestellung@exchange-dialogue.com (bitte Name, Lieferanschrift, Buchtitel und Anzahl der Titel angeben). Katalog: http://www.exchange-dialogue.com

The Mask: Remembering Slavery, Understanding Trauma
This essay by Grada Kilomba was presented to the Bicentenary of the Abolishment of the Atlantic Slave Trade, at the National Maritime Museum, in London. The mask, she writes, symbolizes colonialism. It represents the white sadistic politics of conquest and domination, and its brutal regimes of silencing the so called ‘Other.’ http://africavenir.com/news/2007/12/1663

Von Trommlern & Helfern: Beiträge zu einer nicht-rassistischen entwicklungspol. Bildungsarbeit
Weder die entwicklungspolitische Theorie noch die Praxis ist frei von stereotypen Bildern und Rassismen. Wie ist das Verhältnis des „Gebers“ zum „Nehmer“, des „Helfers“ zum „Hilfsbedürftigen“, der „Entwickelten“ zu den „Unterentwickelten“? Neue Broschüre, herausgegeben von den entwicklungspolitischen Landesnetzwerken Berlin, Hamburg, Hessen und Sachsen. http://africavenir.com/news/2007/12/1672

AfricAvenir e-journal 01/2007
Unter dem Titel “Kolonialismus, Nationalsozialismus, Rassismus - Kontinuitäten und Brüche” setzt sich AfricAvenir International e.V. in seinem ersten e-journal kritisch mit der kolonialen Vergangenheit Deutschlands und Europas und dessen Fort- und Einschreibung in die gesellschaftliche und politische Gegenwart auseinander. Mit Beiträgen von Rosa Amelia Plumelle-Uribe, Susan Arndt, Prof. Kum’a Ndumbe III. u.a. http://africavenir.com/news/2007/11/1642/

La diaspora africaine vue sous un autre angle…
A des années lumières des clichés sévissant trop souvent sur l’Afrique, Claire Denis brise le cou aux idées reçues en mettant en scène cette exposition sensorielle réunissant une dizaine d’artistes. Des chorégraphies de Mathilde Monnier, aux installations de Jean-Pierre Bekolo ou Yousry Massrallah, “Diaspora” prouve que le continent africain a beaucoup de choses à dire et à apporter au monde. http://africavenir.com/news/2007/12/1656

www.AfricAvenir.org
Möchten Sie Fördermitglied von AfricAvenir International e.V. werden?
Kontaktieren Sie Verena Rodatus, Fon: 0157-73837266, v.rodatus[at]africavenir.org

Redaktion des Newsletters: Eric Van Grasdorff, e.vangrasdorff[at]africavenir.org
AfricAvenir International e.V. ist nicht für die Inhalte externer Webseiten verantwortlich.

Diesen Newsletter haben Sie erhalten, weil Ihre E-Mailadresse in den Newsletter von AfricAvenir eingetragen wurde. Falls dies ohne Ihr Einverständnis erfolgt ist oder wenn Sie keine weiteren Newsletter erhalten möchten, antworten Sie bitte auf diese E-Mail und schreiben Sie ‘Abmeldung Newsletter’ in die Betreffzeile.

Common Ground News Bulletin: 18-24 December 2007

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below the Common Ground News Bulletin: 18-24 December 2007.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Common Ground News Service - Partners in Humanity
for constructive & vibrant Muslim-Western relations

18 - 24 December 2007

The Common Ground News Service – Partners in Humanity (CGNews-PiH) aims to promote constructive perspectives and dialogue about Muslim–Western relations. CGNews-PiH is available in Arabic, English, French, Indonesian and Urdu.

For an archive of past CGNews articles and other information, please visit our website at www.commongroundnews.org .

Unless otherwise noted, copyright permission has been obtained and articles may be reprinted by any news outlet or publication. Please acknowledge both the original source and the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

Inside this edition

1) Be the moderate you’re looking for by Kareem Elbayar
Responding to Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s latest New York Times op-ed, Kareem Elbayar, vice-chair of Muslims for Progressive Values, describes who the moderate Muslims are, what they want and what they are doing to achieve these ends.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 18 December 2007)

2) Reality, better than fiction by Deborah Jones
“What happens when an Atlanta radio talk-show therapist called Spirit meets a television talk-show host from Cairo named Bothaina? Or when Mike, an Alabama cowboy trades places with Mahmoud, an Egyptian horse trainer?” Tune in to The Bridge to find out.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 18 December 2007)

3) Funnelling the power of individual blogs by Yasser Khalil
Yassir Khalil, an Egyptian researcher and journalist, considers how the power of blogs can be multiplied if bloggers pool their resources online. Working together, argues Khalil, these blogs have the capacity to facilitate change in both governments and civil society.
(Source: Common Ground News Service, 18 December 2007)

4) Americans glimpse the “real” Iran by Qamar-ul Huda, Mohammed Abu-Nimer and Ayse Kadayifci
Academicians Qamar-ul Huda, Mohammed Abu-Nimer and Ayse Kadayifci recount their recent journey to Iran as part of an American Muslim delegation, comparing western images of Iran, and Iranians, with their experiences visiting the country’s places and people.
(Source: Common Ground News Service (CGNews), 18 December 2007)

5) Talking about honour killings by Naima El Moussaoui
Naima El Moussaoui, a writer for Qantara.de, interviews Anja Wehler-Schöck, a gender, family, and youth politics consultant at a political foundation in Berlin, on what constitutes an honour killing, where they are occurring, and what they have to do with Islam.
(Source: Qantara.de, 7 December 2007)

1)Be the moderate you’re looking for
Kareem Elbayar

“O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, though it may be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be against rich or poor: for God can best protect both. Follow not the lusts of your hearts, lest ye swerve, and if ye distort justice or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (Qur’an 4:135)

Washington, DC - In a 7 December op-ed in The New York Times, Ayaan Hirsi Ali asked where the moderate Muslims were, and concluded that the very notion of a moderate Muslim majority was “wishful thinking”. Ali’s claims are echoed by many prominent commentators on the American right, and judging by the comments left on The New York Times website, by many average Americans as well. But the popular idea that mainstream Muslims either do nothing to condemn (or worse, secretly applaud) the outrages perpetrated in the name of our religion is not only reductive and misinformed – it is dangerously wrong as well.

The vast majority of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims are indeed moderate, peace-loving people who reject violent extremism and terror. Moderate Muslims are all around us, from the attorney and husband of the rape victim from Saudi Arabia, both of whom expressed revulsion and shame at the decision made by Saudi Arabian courts; to the delegation of British Muslims who travelled to Sudan and worked with Sudanese MP Ghazi Suleiman to secure the “teddy bear” teacher’s release (and prove that the entire controversy was more about distracting international attention from Darfur than it was about Islam); to the literally hundreds of thousands of Muslim individuals and organisations in the United States and around the world that expressed shock and disgust at the events which Ali cites.

Ali conveniently omits these facts from her narrative – just as she plucks a single verse from the Qur’an, devoid of any context – in order to create a black-and-white fantasy world of Muslim radicals versus civilised Westerners. Yes Ms. Ali, verse 24:2 of the Qur’an sets out a harsh punishment for adultery – but verse 24:4 requires four eyewitnesses (an almost impossible standard to meet) and, more importantly, verse 24:5 states that the punishment should not be applied to those who sincerely repent. (So much for your argument that the Qur’an orders believers to show no compassion).

Ali may make headlines by writing polemics condemning Islam as a “backward religion” and “the new fascism”, but in the meantime Muslim organisations like the one I am a member of, Muslims for Progressive Values, will continue to quietly but effectively do what we can to counteract the hateful nonsense that regretfully is being taught as Islam in far too many places. Moderate and even progressive Muslim organisations can be found all over the world, but we are too busy working within our communities to promote a message of reform and tolerance to do as Ali asks and “rise up in horror” every time some lunatic commits a crime in the name of our faith. Nor should we be expected to do so. It seems that Ali would like me and my co-religionists to go about our lives constantly marching around the streets apologizing for the acts of zealots – but I will not do so, for I bear no more responsibility for these acts than she does.

Moderate and progressive Muslims are everywhere, but we are ignored and marginalised by the media and by commentators like Ali. It seems that in our modern age of sound bites and one-liners, strident if uninformed criticism will always outperform calm and reasoned debate. If Ali is serious about supporting tolerance among Muslims, perhaps she should spend less time penning distracting and misleading screeds against Islam and more time reaching out to groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Muslims for Progressive Values, Al-Fatiha, and Sisters in Islam. The only way to prevent the “clash of civilisations” from becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy is to build bridges between our communities. Promoting a black-and-white caricature of reality serves no one – least of all the tolerant Muslims Ali can’t seem to find anywhere she looks.

###

* Kareem Elbayar is the vice-chair of Muslims for Progressive Values. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org .

Source: Common Ground News Service, 18 December 2007, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

2)Reality, better than fiction
Deborah Jones

Washington, DC - What happens when an Atlanta radio talk-show therapist called Spirit meets a television talk-show host from Cairo named Bothaina? Or when Mike, an Alabama cowboy trades places with Mahmoud, an Egyptian horse trainer? The Bridge is a one-hour reality show that documents the relationship between two Americans and two Egyptians who have never visited one another’s countries as they share their cultures and their lives.

The show blends elements of documentary style filmmaking with “reality TV”. Viewers watch as the participants visit each others’ countries for the first time, crossing the real and imagined boundaries that exist between the United States and Egypt.

Through the interactions of Spirit, Bothaina, Mike and Mahmoud, stereotypes about “the other” are dispelled as the audience watches to see whether their similarities will trump their cultural, political and religious differences. In one of many exchanges in which the four characters discuss similarities and differences, Mahmoud calls in to Spirit’s talk-show from Mike’s car in Alabama and voices his traditional attitude toward women. Bothaina – in Spirit’s studio in Atlanta – is quick to point out: “I disagree! Who told him we needed protection? We might both be Egyptians, but we are very different!”

Discussions such as these chip away at the myths that surround the two cultures and viewers join the different characters in considering whether friendships between Arabs and Americans are not only possible, but may also be enlightening in many ways.

The Bridge is a co-production of the Egypt-based Video Cairo SAT, Common Ground Productions in Washington DC, Baraka Productions and Downtown Community Television, the last two of New York City. It is directed by Tami Alpert and Shannon Sorenstein of DCTV, which was co-founded by Emmy-Award winning Jon Alpert (Bagdad ER). This behind-the-scenes cooperation of multiple production companies in the United States and Egypt is not only key to the success of the show, but is as important to the creation of the show as the on-screen relationships.

The collaboration was made possible by the visionary partnership between John Marks, founder and president of Search for Common Ground and Mohammed Gohar, president and founder of Video Cairo SAT. Gohar and Marks are friends as well as business partners. When asked how the relationship came about, Marks said, “I’m a social entrepreneur and Gohar is a social entrepreneur. We share an interest in making television that moves beyond stereotyping of ‘the other’, television programming that demonstrates our common humanity.”

Television as a tool for conflict transformation and social change is the mandate of Common Ground Productions, the media arm of Search for Common Ground. The producers consider this the pilot episode of what they hope will become an ongoing series. If that happens, audiences worldwide can look forward to seeing similar exchanges between Americans and Middle Easterners.

On Sunday, the 30th of December, Faith and Values Media will present The Bridge: Egyptian-American Exchange during its 11:00 AM (EST/PST) timeslot on The Hallmark Channel. Faith and Values Media is the nation’s largest coalition of Abrahamic faith groups dedicated to media production, distribution and promotion.

###

* Deborah Jones is co-executive producer of The Bridge and director of Acquisitions and Development for Common Ground Productions. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org .

Source: Common Ground News Service, 18 December 2007, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

3)Funnelling the power of individual blogs
Yasser Khalil

Cairo - In a very short time period, Arab bloggers have proven their ability to influence political life in Arab countries, especially those that have taken steps towards reform, development and freedom of the press.

These political activists have established their blogs as a complement to conventional journalism, providing information and perspectives that are often absent in the traditional media of their countries.

Despite their evident success at capturing the attention of both politicians and the media, and their ability to attract large numbers of readers and comments, blogs remain largely isolated from one another, like disconnected islands.

But what if these bloggers communicated, pooled their resources and exchanged ideas and experiences? If individual Arab bloggers have managed to attract attention, influencing their surroundings and stirring stagnant waters, what might they achieve together?

This idea has prompted me to establish the first electronic network of bloggers in the Middle East, called the Kbret Network (www.kbret.net).

When creating Kbret, I had multiple goals in mind. Since bloggers are already exhibiting great creativity as independent actors, Kbret will continue to guarantee their independence. And since excellence and uniqueness emerge from their freedom of independent expression, that freedom must be protected so that their voices continue to be broadcast without restriction or censorship. In addition, there will be room for open and democratic comments on each entry. Although there are people out there who follow blogs but do not engage in online writing themselves, many others want to interact and comment and should be given the opportunity to participate as members of an online community.

To facilitate interaction among its members in an attractive and lively manner, Kbret’s website provides a variety of interesting features, such as gifts, comments and links to members’ most recent posts, news, videos, favourite sites, and/or photo galleries. This makes the site a place for people with common interests to connect and to develop and share useful resources with other members, as well as casual website visitors.

The presence of a select group of bloggers with varying interests, intellectual approaches and professional specialisations can help in the development of solutions and suggestions for a number of complicated problems that exist in Arab countries and perhaps even beyond. This may even contribute to developing an effective vision for an improved relationship between the Muslim world and the West.

Yet, there is a critical issue that affects this fledgling experience: how will political leaders in Arab countries view such an initiative? Will they see it as a challenge? Will they remain neutral? Or will they consider it a constructive venture that they should encourage and endorse?

There are two possible scenarios where the state could influence this initiative: in the first, government officials would view this networked blog-space as a challenge to the regime. In this case, the government would likely scrutinize – and possibly threaten or detain – participants in this electronic society, particularly those they may consider political opponents. Unfortunately, this has been one reaction to the growing number of blogs by many states in the region already.

However, terrorism emerged from the womb of such oppression, injustice, lack of awareness and political disenfranchisement. Subjugating this type of online activity may encourage these frustrated writers and readers to go underground and find other means of making of their thoughts known.

In the second scenario, the respective governments would see this mode of communication as an opportunity. They could employ specialists to follow up on blog activity, monitoring the different ideas and discussion in order to identify and build upon solutions to issues that fall within their spheres of interest or political mandates. Such activity would provide an alternate method of understanding and channelling public opinion so that it can inform the work of political decision-makers.

Various private companies and public institutions could be invited to provide funding to explore these latent channels through which civil society is making its voice heard. In return, these companies might receive online space for advertising goods and services, which could in turn be reviewed by members of the network, providing valuable market research information.

Both the public and private sectors would become more attuned to the concerns of the “man on the street” rather than depending on traditional lobbying groups, the political and business elite, or conventional marketing methods. In time, networked blogs like Kbret may become a viable tool for decision-makers and interested media consumers, and evolve into more sophisticated tools people can use to communicate with governmental and commercial entities in which they have a vested interest.

Should governments decide to foster this space, rather than crush it, this interactive collaboration and brainstorming has the potential to bring individuals and groups together to develop solutions to current political, economic and societal challenges, and to share constructive outcomes with policymakers and kindred thinkers around the world.

###

* Yasser Khalil is an Egyptian researcher and journalist. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org .

Source: Common Ground News Service, 18 December 2007, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

4)Americans glimpse the “real” Iran
Qamar-ul Huda, Mohammed Abu-Nimer and Ayse Kadayifci

Washington, DC - In October 2007, we were part of a Muslim American delegation of peace and conflict resolution experts who went on a one-week trip to Iran to discuss ways in which various Iranian groups approach conflict prevention, resolution and dialogue. Our delegation met with peace-practitioners, lawyers, human rights experts, NGOs, scholars, religious leaders and students.

There is a tremendous amount of internal debate among these groups in Iran. The western image of a closed society of mullahs dictating every Iranian’s thoughts and movements is far from the reality. We learned through discussions with the ayatollahs that there is vibrant expression of self-criticism and debate surrounding current issues, including voices opposing some of Iran’s foreign policies.

In the holy city of Qom, we met with three Grand Ayatollahs who had been selected by Ayatollah Khomeini to govern the Council of the Judiciary, the main supreme judiciary in Iran. They expressed their commitment to peace, improved relations with all nations, and the urgency of a dialogue among civilisations – especially immediate dialogue to diffuse the current tensions between the United States and Iran. These Grand Ayatollahs made it explicit that they considered religious violence and terrorism reprehensible and antithetical to Islamic values.

Over the course of our stay, the Iranians we met showed great curiosity about our work in conflict resolution and how it was for us – as Muslims - to live in the United States. Human rights scholars and lawyers were eager to learn about the current debate in the United States over civil rights, capital punishment, gender rights, ethnic profiling and cultural assimilation. The majority of our conversations focused on the best ways to promote pluralism and democratic values in an Islamic context. Many believed that the Iranian experience can offer valuable lessons to other Muslim countries, while others insisted on greater measures that separate state affairs from religious doctrine.

Our delegation met with members of the Islamic Commission on Human Rights in Tehran, who taught us about the ongoing activities in Iran that protect the rights of the country’s citizens, especially those of children, women and labourers. Although since the 1979 revolution the public space open to human rights experts in Iran has shrunk, we nevertheless learned that organisations like the Commission for Human Rights, for instance, exist despite Iran’s negative human rights record and serve as an important instrument to monitor, document and disseminate information on human rights abuses.

There is an exceptional amount of debate on and off campuses on finding practical ways to reform the political culture. The majority of the scholars and students we met expressed eagerness to engage and share their views and work with American counterparts. It was common to hear Iranian professors speak authoritatively on modern French, English and German scholarship, much of which had been translated into Farsi. Iranian students may have not had much opportunity to meet Americans in Iran over the past 28 years, but this did not prevent them from reading and analysing American political philosophy and society.

In a meeting with 13 of the most recognised intellectuals in Tehran hosted by the Academy of Science, the premier intellectual professional society in Tehran, scholars agreed that if Americans and Iranians cannot reach agreement on ideological and faith issues, they should at least aim for mutual understanding and acceptance.

At another event, hosted by the University and Bar Association of Isfahan, 400 students and community members attended our public lecture on “Islamic Dialogues on Peace” and many expressed their desire to know more about American culture, Muslims in America, and ways to diffuse the current crisis between the two nations.

Having spent time in Tehran, Qom and Isfahan, we can testify to the need to reduce the mutual Iranian-American ignorance of each other’s cultures, societies and needs. Aside from witnessing the beauty of Iran itself, the trip exposed us to the diverse voices of Iranians.

In the mind of many Americans, Iran is a stagnant society, closed off to progress and modernity. This trip forced us to question our basic views of each other and specific means to improve US-Iranian relations. Only in the past ten years has the portrayal of Iran begun to include images of reformers as important actors paving the road to progress. Iranian society is far more complex than even this image suggests. With a literacy rate of 92 percent, Iran has a vibrant civil society and intellectual life.

Unfortunately, the delegation returned to the United States only to find the debate over military strategies for ending Iran’s nuclear enrichment program still continuing. Even since the release of the National Intelligence Estimate (NEI), a combined report by sixteen U.S. intelligence agencies on 3 December, 2007, stating that Iran’s nuclear program ceased in 2003, we still find a continued push toward confrontation by some. This adversarial approach is not only dangerous, but it is also indicative of the degree to which American policymakers can be removed from the reality in Iran. Not only does this talk of war overshadow opportunities for improving bilateral relations, but it also underestimates the complexities of a society that has its own rich, internal dialogue.

On several occasions in Iran, we were reminded of a saying by the revered Imam Ali: “Ignorance is the enemy of human wisdom”.

Let us learn from these exchanges so that we might prevent ignorance. And let us open the channels of communication between these two nations so that we might become wiser.

###

* Dr. Qamar-ul Huda, Dr. Mohamed Abu-Nimer, and Dr. Ayse Kadayifci were part of an American Muslim conflict resolution delegation that went to Iran. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org .

Source: Common Ground News Service, 18 December 2007, www.commongroundnews.org
Copyright permission has been obtained for publication.

5)Talking about honour killings
Naima El Moussaoui

Berlin - Brazil, Ecuador, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Morocco are just a few countries where honour killings occur. Anja Wehler-Schöck has studied the phenomenon of honour killings using the example of Jordanian society. Naima El Moussaoui, a writer at Qantara.de, talked with the political scientist.

What actually is honour killing?

Anja Wehler-Schöck: An honour killing is when a woman is murdered by a member of her family in order to re-establish the family’s honour. The violation of honour ensues from an actual or alleged act of moral misconduct by the woman. This misconduct is typically sexual in nature, but it can assume many different forms, from general disobedience to contact with a man or an extramarital affair. It can even be the misfortune of having been a victim of an often incestuous rape.

How widespread is the practice of honour killing?

Wehler-Schöck: According to the estimates of the United Nations Population Fund, approximately 5,000 women and girls around the world are assassinated every year in honour killings. Pakistan, with around 500 cases a year, is considered to be one of the countries in which the highest number of honour killings occur. But it is difficult to work with precise numbers, as the number of unrecorded cases is very high. In many cases, honour killings are not registered as such by the police – either because there is no awareness of it or because the murders were cleverly disguised as accidents or suicides.

Pakistan is a Muslim country. This confirms the predominant assumption that honour killings are the expression of Muslim culture.

Wehler-Schöck: Because the majority of honour killings are committed in Muslim countries, it is assumed that this practice is connected with Islam.

However, neither the honour complex nor the practice of honour killings is rooted in Islam. The idea of transferring dishonour from one person to another or to a collective is foreign to Islam, for example. Moreover, the Qur’an contains a fundamental ban on murder. Individuals are also prohibited from taking the law into their own hands.

The honour complex I describe can be found wherever the societal structure is shaped by familialism, paternalism, and a strong religious influence. The practice of honour killings is found not only in Muslim and Arab countries, but also in some Latin American countries, such as Brazil and Ecuador.

You studied honour killings in Jordan and not, for instance, in Ecuador, which would have contradicted existing prejudices. Why?

Wehler-Schöck: : I felt it was important to study a Muslim, Arab country especially in order to pursue your previous question, that is, whether honour killing has roots in Islam, in Arab culture, or in tribal law. For me, Jordan represented a particularly interesting case because the country has received an unusual amount of public attention in the recent years in the international discussion over honour killings.

Moreover, compared to other countries in which honour killings occur, Jordan stands out with several progressive measures directed toward violence against women. And not least of all, it should be kept in mind that the political climate also plays a certain role for such research. Unlike in Iran, for instance, or in Pakistan, liberalisation has made a public debate over the problem of honour killing possible in Jordan.

What are the legal consequences of honour killings according to Jordanian law?

Wehler-Schöck: The crime “honour killing” does not exist in Jordanian law. Thus, the designation would most likely be second-degree homicide (prison sentence up to 15 years) or first-degree murder (death penalty). But these maximum penalties are seldom imposed. As a rule, the offenders in honour killing cases walk away with very mild sentences.

Does the ongoing political situation play a role in the problem of honour killing?

Wehler-Schöck: It is conceivable that the climate of sustained conflict in neighbouring countries has led to a brutalisation of Jordanian society. According to an analysis by Amnesty International, a higher incidence of honour killings can be observed in many societies whose everyday life is marked by violent conflicts.

###

* Naima El Moussaoui is a writer for Qantara.de. Anja Wehler-Schöck is a political scientist (Free University Berlin/ Institut d’Etudes Politique Paris) and works as a gender, family, and youth politics consultant for a political foundation in Berlin. This abridged article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org . For the full text of this article, please visit qantara.de.

Source: Qantara.de, 7 December 2007, www.qantara.de
Copyright permission is granted for publication.

Youth Views

CGNews-PiH also regularly publishes the work of student leaders and journalists whose articles strengthen intercultural understanding and promote constructive perspectives and dialogue in their own communities. Student journalists and writers under the age of 27 are encouraged to write to Chris Binkley ( cbinkley@sfcg.org ) for more information on contributing.

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This news service is one outcome of a set of working meetings held in partnership with His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan in June 2003.

The Common Ground News Service also commissions and distributes solution-oriented articles by local and international experts to promote constructive perspectives and encourage dialogue about current Middle East issues. This service, Common Ground News Service - Middle East (CGNews-ME), is available in Arabic, English, and Hebrew. To subscribe, click here.

The views expressed in these articles are those of the authors, not of CGNews or its affiliates.

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The Elders Call for a Billion Signatures

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below a link to the Elders Billion Signatures for Human Rights Initiative.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

The Elders Call for a Billion Signatures

2008 is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

It’s a time for a global conversation about human rights. To consider the values that unite society as one human family and one global village. But it can be more. For the last 60 years it’s been governments that have been asked to sign the Universal Declaration. The Elders hope that 2008 can be the year that individuals, not just governments, sign the declaration. The Elders are calling for one billion signatures from across the world. The old generation of leaders wants yours to be one of them. They urge you to embrace the values and goals of the declaration; to protect the rights of fellow global villagers and encourage others to do the same in communities, workplaces and schools. To sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, click on http://www.everyhumanhasrights.org/sign_up/.

Article on Private Sector Reform from Arab Reform Initiative

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below an article from the Arab Reoform Initiative.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

New Arab Reform Brief on The Private Sector in the Arab World – Road Map Towards Reform

10th December, 2007

By Abdulaziz Sager

In the Middle East, the private and public sector do not have distinctive and independent roles to play; rather, the dividing line between what is public and what is private is not clearly defined. As an example, the 10 largest listed companies in the GCC remain state-owned. The private sector is also dominated by family businesses that have a close relationship to the state, and these ties prescribe their attitude toward political reform. This is, in fact, neither unusual nor surprising: in all industrial countries, major business families have found it convenient to nurture close ties with holders of political power, and sometimes, directly run for office. The demand for greater accountability and political reform is born out of the progressive widening of the ranks of business entrepreneurs, and the increasing competition between business groups. In some instances, this has led to clear demands for greater transparency and accountability in government decision making, primarily with respect to business interests. The private sector in the Middle East does have a role as governments fail in most cases to establish and execute reforms by themselves. It has to reach beyond its natural boundaries and support governments to encourage reform measures in areas that directly reflect on their interests such as judicial reforms. The private sector could start by establishing non-political associations or task forces to represent civil society. It could also issue initiatives whereby it acts as a partner with government to establish effective reform measures.

To read the full English version of the Arab Reform Brief click here: http://www.arab-reform.net/spip.php?article1106

To read the Arabic version of the Arab Reform Brief click here:
http://www.arab-reform.net/spip.php?page=article_ar&lang=ar&id_article=1108

Visit ARI’s website for other Arab Reform Briefs, News on Reform, Analyses, Events: www.arab-reform.net

The Arab Reform Initiative is a consortium of fifteen key policy research centers from the Arab world with partners from Europe and the United States, working to mobilize the Arab research capacity to advance knowledge and promote a home grown program for democratic reform.

International Linguistic Association - 53rd Conference April 2008

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on the 53rd Conference of the International Liguistic Association.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

CALL FOR PAPERS
53rd Annual Conference of the INTERNATIONAL LINGUISTIC ASSOCIATION

April 11-13, 2008
SUNY College at Old Westbury
Old Westbury, NY 11568
LANGUAGE POLICY AND LANGUAGE PLANNING

Plenary Speakers
Guy Dumas,
Associate Deputy Minister Responsible for the application of language
policy for the Quebec Government RICHARD BOURHIS, Université de
Montréal Québec OFELIA GARCIA, Teachers College, Columbia University
SERAFIN CORONEL-MOLINA, Indiana University

Language Policy involves any action established by a society regarding
language use and form in public contexts as determined by convention
and/or laws administered within national and local governments, the
courts, the workplace, the media, and education systems. Matters of
interest to Language Planning include policies on official language,
the use and form of minority languages, which languages will be taught
in the school system, and bilingualism planning; as well as the
linguistic industries driven by the market in the process of
globalization. Under this rubric, abstracts of not more than 425 words
are solicited on such topics as:

Language Planning and Globalization
Spanish in the United States
French and English in Canada
Indigenous /Endangered/Minority languages Languages in Contact Pidgins
and Creoles Language Planning in Education Policies on Bilingualism
Official Language Policy Creoles and Standardization Human and Machine
Translation Industry Language Planning and Human Development Immigrant
Languages Dialects and Standardization

While papers on the main topic are particularly welcome, individuals
are encouraged to submit abstracts on any subject in theoretical and
applied linguistics.
Submit abstracts in an anonymous, titled, single-spaced attachment of
not more than 425 words in length, with name, address and affiliation
in the body of an email. Please send abstract as a camera-ready
attachment (in a Microsoft Word file, if possible) to the conference
coordinator, Annika Wendt (annikawendt@yahoo.com). Within the body of
the email, please also indicate any audio-visual equipment needed.
Those wishing to propose panels or special sessions should contact the
conference chair, Kathleen O´Connor-Bater
(oconnorbaterk@oldwestbury.edu) before submitting an abstract for the
panel together with abstracts for each of the constituent papers.
Time allotted will be 20 minutes for delivery of the paper plus 5
minutes discussion.
Deadline for receipt of abstracts is January 15, 2008.
For up-coming conference information, see ILA website
(www.ilaword.org).

British Asian Theatre: From Past to Present Conference 2008

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on the Confrence - British Asian Theatre: From Past to Present.

Kind regards
Brian Ward


British Asian Theatre: From Past to Present Conference 2008

Registration is now open for the conference ‘British Asian Theatre: From Past to Present’, 10-13 April 2008, to be held at the Department of Drama, University of Exeter.

The conference marks the final phase of the 4-year AHRC-funded project ‘British Asian Theatre’. With over 30 British and international theatre practitioners participating, the conference will provide a fertile platform to hear practitioners discuss their work in the context of contemporary debates on interculturalism, theatre histories, and the growing international South Asian diaspora. Live performances, including a new commission, are also scheduled throughout the conference.

The conference programme. abstracts and booking form can be downloaded from the project website at http://www.spa.ex.ac.uk/drama/research/batp/conference_schedule.shtml

Please forward to all interested parties.

Best wishes,

Sarah Dadswell

Sarah J Dadswell (Dr.)
Research Fellow
British Asian Theatre Project

Department of Drama
University of Exeter
Thornlea
New North Road
Exeter EX4 4LA

Email: S.Dadswell[@]exeter.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1392 264582
http://www.spa.ex.ac.uk/drama/research/batp/welcome.shtml

Postcoloniality and Ecology 2008 Conference

Friday, December 21st, 2007

Dear HumanDHS network friends

Please find below information on a conference on Postcoloniality and Ecology.

Kind regards
Brian Ward

Postcoloniality and Ecology
International conference at Roehampton University, London

14th and 15th November 2008

Call for papers

The political dimension of postcoloniality has tended to be a dominant aspect of postcolonial critique and analysis in recent decades. The articulation of political discourses upon cultural practices has ensured that power relations have been assigned a position of particular prominence in the supposedly interdisciplinary field of postcolonial studies. There exist, however, many examples of postcolonial literary and cinematographic narratives that can be understood as seeking to transcend the political and which lend themselves to a more generalised reading on an ethical or philosophical level. In particular, narratives that raise questions about the survival of a specific culture may be read as simultaneously interrogating the conditions for the survival of culture per se. Similarly, postcolonial narratives that examine the precarity of human existence in conditions of extreme violence and vulnerability can often be seen as inviting broader speculation about viability and sustainability in general, or engaging in a critique of the humanist discourses that have underpinned western imperialism.

Conversely, contemporary threats to human survival that are posited as a consequence of various types of ecological disruption (global warming, climate change, water supplies, depletion of resources) may perhaps best be figured within a postcolonial framework. Indeed, the complexities of postcoloniality may offer the most efficient models available for a critical reflection on the cultural changes that ecological meltdown may bring in its train. It may also be the case that the burgeoning field of environmental history, especially as it related to empire, can play a role in both theorising the postcolonial world and in thinking through the broader connections of empire, ethics and humanism discussed in this call for papers.

Topics that will be of particular interest include

Narrating cultures of survival/the survival of culture
Relativising the human in postcolonial/ecological narratives
Exploring ethical dimensions of ecological challenges
Representing postcolonial/ecological others
Rethinking humanism
The ethics of environmental thinking in the colonial era
Reclaiming pre-colonial ecologies

Proposals for contributions should be submitted by February 2008 (250 words approximately) to:

Dr Patrick Corcoran
Centre for Research in Postcolonial and Transcultural Studies
School of Arts, Roehampton University, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PH
p.corcoran[@]roehampton.ac.uk