Contents

• Frame and goal of our conferences
Ideas for future conferences
Some relevant quotes
Reflections on travel and global warming
Funding possibilities
Detailed list of our conferences
Previous reflections on the format of our conferences

 

Introduction

 


This was one of our foundational conferences, in 2003 in Paris, where we had with us, among others, Arne Næss, "father" of deep ecology, and Don Klein, pioneer in the field of community psychology

All
This is a mini-documentary of the 13th Annual Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict "The Globalization of Dignity," at Columbia University, New York City, December 8 - 9, 2016, by Mariana Ferraz - also this workshop had its first and foundational gathering in 2003, convened by Morton Deutsch

Since 2003, we have had two annual conferences, one in December in New York City, and the other outside of the U.S.A., always at different places and at varying times during the year. Each conference has had a very distinct flavor. So far, our NY Workshops on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict have been larger (65 participants), more formal and structured, as well as more outward oriented than our outside-of-the U.S. conferences, which have been smaller (15-25 participants), more open, informal, and more geared toward weaving our network closer together within.
(Important note: During our conferences, we always ask all participants for their permission to have their pictures or videos posted on our website, however, if you change your mind later, either in total or for specific pictures/videos, please let us know! Thank you!)

Please see the following background material, created by Linda Hartling:
Dignilogue Tips and Dynamic Dignilogue List, created on October 10, 2015, for the 2015 Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict, in New York City, December 3 – 4, 2015.
Dignilogue: An Introduction to Dignity + Dialogue, created on 31th May 2015 for the 2015 Kigali Conference
Greetings to All (short version), created on 16h April 2013 for the 2013 South Africa Conference
Greetings to All (long version), created on 16h April 2013 for the 2013 South Africa Conference
Welcome to Everybody, created on 12th August 2012 for the 2012 Norway Conference
Our Open Space Dignilogue Format, created on 12th August 2012 for the 2012 Norway Conference
• A Summary of Our Dignilogue Format for you to download
An Appreciative Frame: Beginning a Dialogue on Human Dignity and Humiliation, written by Linda Hartling in 2005
See also:
Appreciative Facilitation: Hints for Dignilogue Moderators, written by Judith Thompson in February 2006 to support the moderators of our workshops
Buddhist Teachings on Right Speech, kindly provided to us by Thomas Daffern in 2006, relating to our quest for appreciative enquiry, caring and being

• Please see also the videos on our Appreciative Frame, created by Linda Hartling:
- Appreciative Frame, recorded on November 21, 2023, in Portland, Oregon, USA, for our 2023 New York Workshop
- Appreciative Frame, recorded on August 23, 2022, in Portland, Oregon, USA, for our 37th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, in Amman, Jordan, 5th – 7th September 2022
- Appreciative Frame, recorded on December 9, 2021, for our 2021 New York Workshop
- Appreciative Frame, recorded on December 10, 2020, for our 2020 New York Workshop
- Appreciative Frame, recorded on December 5, 2019, for our 2019 New York Workshop
- Appreciative Frame, recorded on December 8, 2016, at the 2016 Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict, in New York City, December 8 – 9, 2016.
- Appreciative Enquiry 4, recorded on May 27, 2015, in Portland, Oregon, USA, for the 25th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, in Kigali, Rwanda, 2nd - 5th June 2015.
- Our Appreciative Frame 3, created in December 2014 (see also Pdf), for the 2014 Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict, in New York City, December 4–5, 2014.
- Appreciative Enquiry 2, uploaded onto YouTube on August 11, 2012, in preparation of the 19th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, 27th-30th August 2012, in Oslo, Norway.

• Please see also the videos on our Appreciative Frame, created by Evelin Lindner:
- Appreciative Enquiry 1, a video that was recorded on October 30, 2011, in Portland, Oregon, USA, for the World Dignity University initiative.

 

 

Frame and Goals of Our Conferences

Our appreciative frame is an adapted version of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). We believe in "waging good conflict" (Jean Baker Miller). Since diversity enriches, we think that diverging opinions and perspectives need to be expressed rather than avoided. However, diversity only enriches if embedded into mutual connection and appreciation. If not harnessed lovingly and caringly, diversity has the potential to humiliate, divide, create hostility, foster hatred, and even violence. In the spirit of our vision, we as the HumanDHS network, wish therefore to avoid the latter, and instead open space for common ground and mutually caring connections, a space for the safe expression of even the deepest differences and disagreements, and the toughest issues of humiliation, trauma, and injustice.

Please see also our Appreciative Enquiry page and, to get a taste, watch this little film called Validation.

 

Appreciative Enquiry (HumanDHS-defined version of AI)

by Linda Hartling, August 2004

In our conferences we aim at creating a humiliation-free, collaborative learning environment characterized by mutual respect, mutual empathy, and openness to difference. The perspective of "appreciative enquiry" is a useful frame of our work. Our HumanDHS efforts are not just about the work we do together, but also about HOW WE WORK TOGETHER. At appropriate points during our conferences, for example at the end of each day, we take a moment to reflect on the practices observed that contributed to an appreciative/humiliation-free learning experience.

It is important to emphasize that an appreciative approach is not about expecting people to agree. In fact, differences of opinion enrich the conversation and deepen people's understanding of ideas. Perhaps, this could be conceptualized as "waging good conflict," which means practicing radical respect for differences and being open to a variety of perspectives and engaging others without contempt or rankism. As we have seen in many fields, contempt and rankism drains energy away from the important work that needs to be done. Most people only know "conflict" as a form of war within a win/lose frame. "Waging good conflict," on the other side, is about being empathic and respectful, making room for authenticity, creating clarity, and growth.

Linda added on July 17, 2007:
For me our approach means daring to "move toward mutuality" in all of our efforts. I conceptualize "movement toward mutuality" as an powerful act of resistance to organizational practices that implicitly or explicitly propagate exploitation. In "Relational-Cultural-Organizational Theory" (my variation on RCT), exploitation might be called "relational-organizational malpractice" (a variation of Joyce Fletcher's term). Far too many for-profit and nonprofit organizations depend on countless forms of relational-organizational malpractice, including shameless exploitation. Whether this occurs in an organization that is working for good or not, it is still malpractice.

•  Please see also Relationship Tips developed by Judith Jordan, and Linda Hartling, at the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, 2006.

•  Please read An Appreciative Frame: Beginning a Dialogue on Human Dignity and Humiliation, that Linda Hartling has written for us in 2005.

•  Please see also Appreciative Facilitation: Hints for Round Table Moderators, kindly written in February 2006 by Judith Thompson to support the moderators of our workshops.

•  Please see also Toward Communicative Virtuosity: A Meditation on Modernity and Other Forms of Communication, written by W. Barnett Pearce, Santa Barbara, CA: School of Human and Organization Development, Fielding Graduate University. Paper presented to the seminar "Modernity as a Communication Process (Is Modernity "on time?")," April 15, 2005, Department of Communications and Social and Political Theories, Russian State University for Humanities Moscow, Russia 103012.

•  Please see also Bykr, A. S. and B. Schneider (2002). Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for Improvement. New York City, Russell Sage Foundation. Please see the notes that Linda made on this book.

•  See also Creating We, by Judith Glaser, Platinum Press, 2005.

•  Please see also the discussion of communal sharing (CS) versus equality matching (EM), by Finn Tschudi: Reflections on World Parliament Experiment, WPE, at isfit 2007.

•  Please see also reflections by Michael Britton on How People Defend Themselves Against Hope: Lerner Responds to Cindy Sheehan's Resignation.

Linda Hartling: Presenting the Frame of Appreciative Enquiry
Appreciative Enquiry is an approach to global collaboration developed by and for the Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies network and the World Dignity University. This video was uploaded onto YouTube on August 4, 2012, in preparation of the 19th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, 27th-30th August 2012, in Oslo, Norway.

•  Our Appreciative Frame, created in December 2014 for our 2014 New York Workshop (Pdf)

•  Appreciative Enquiry 4, recorded on 27th May 2015, for our 2015 Kigali Conference

•  Appreciative Frame, recorded on 8th December 2016, for our 2016 New York Workshop

•  Appreciative Frame, recorded on 5th December 2019, for our 2019 New York Workshop

•  Appreciative Frame, recorded on 10th December 2020, for our 2020 New York Workshop

•  Appreciative Frame, recorded on 9th December 2021, for our 2021 New York Workshop

•  Appreciative Frame, recorded on 23rd August 2022, for the 37th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, in Amman, Jordan, 5th – 7th September 2022

•  Appreciative Frame, recorded on November 21, 2023, for our 2023 New York Workshop

 

Appreciative Being

Donald C. Klein, August 2004

The term "Appreciative Inquiry" and the approach to organizational consulting and inquiry was developed by David Cooperrider at Case Western Reserve University. The approach is gaining wide usage among people doing organizational consulting. My work overlaps with David's approach. I am using the term "Appreciative Being" to describe a way of relating to life events via our human inherent capacity for experiencing awe and wonderment at being part of the universe.

 

Appreciative Caring

Evelin Lindner, September 2004

The Jean Baker Miller Training Institute recently hosted a conference about Creating Relational Possibilities, with its last session about Holding a Vision of Hope. I think that both headings are also important for our group and our conferences. We are not motivated by financial rewards or by wanting to have a job. Our motivation is provided by our values and goals and the enthusiasm and hope we can create in our group. We want to contribute to building "a better world" and this is what drives us.

Thus, the inner cohesion of our group must be our priority, otherwise none of our activities will have any grounding and we will fail. This is, incidentally, also the cutting edge guideline in corporate sector consultancy ("hire for attitude, not for skill!" Kjell A. Nordström, Stockholm). In other words, it applies even to ordinary companies that need to make profit. Therefore, nurturing the relationships among ourselves, caring for each other, keeping our spirits up, must be the object of our primary attention.

This entails many details. Whoever holds a job for financial rewards and finds broader meaning not within, but outside the job, easily develops a host of attitudes and behaviours that might be damaging to our group, if displayed there. Many companies are afflicted, for example, by fragmentation. Out of frustration, employees may be tempted to try building alternative power bases for themselves among their collegues by blackening others ("don't tell X that I think that X is wrong in doing x, y, z..."). We have to guard against this kind of fragmentation. Or, perceived failings and disappointments among colleagues often lead to rifts ("take me off her team"); in our group such disappointments require that we all engage in healing activities. Deutsch's Crude Law of Social Relations is central as well, which indicates, in short, that "cooperation breeds cooperation, while competition breeds competition" (Morton Deutsch, 1973, p. 367).

Long is the list of new relational skills which we need to learn in order to build a cohesive group of mutual enrichment, which only then can contribute to building "a better world." Appreciative Inquity, Appreciative Being, and Appreciative Caring, all three need to be combined so as to achieve social relationships of equal dignity (that are void of humiliation), which in turn enable us to do constructive work in and for the wider world.

Please see here Buddhist Teachings on Right Speech, kindly provided to us by Thomas Daffern in 2006, relating to our quest for appreciative enquiry, caring and being.

Please see also Is it Possible to "Change the World"? Some Guidelines to How We Can Build a More Decent and Dignified World Effectively: The Case of Dignifying Abusers, by Lindner, 2006.

 

Appreciative Nurturing

Evelin Lindner, June 2007

Dear Friends!

Please let me share with you a text (see further down) that is in the process of being written by several of our network members. You are invited to add to it! (If you wish to contribute to this text, please send me your contribution and I include it into the attached text!)

Noel Mordana is currently creating an academic paper that is based on this text, to be submitted to our new journal.

Many have expressed interest in this text, so, perhaps we can treat Noel's version as one product, and the organic growth of the attached paper as a separate project?!

Lovingly!
Evelin

Appreciative Nurturing (AN), a text in the process of being written collectively.
This is a text is not finished. If you wish to contribute, please let us know!

 

Appreciative Leadership in Our HumanDHS Network

The Tree: Job Descriptions!

Michael Britton, June 2008

Dear Friends!

I am thinking of concentric circles. In the innermost circle are the small number at the heart of the Network, whose job seems to be threefold: (1)the bringing in of new people, which you, Evelin, do so amazingly; (2) meditating/reflecting on the core concepts of the Network: humiliation, dignity, appreciation, transformation, nurturing -- and how these are lived in day to day interactions/relationships with each other, within the Network, with anyone; the role of Tenders of the Mission, explorers of the "tactics" of appreciation, apology, forgiveness, etc; (3) providing service to the members in the next circle: encouragement, modeling of good relating, connecting them with one another as resources to each other, encouraging them in their own sense of mission, their own projects, etc. -- the Tree encouraging its branches to dare to grow their own fruit.

In the next circle are the members of the Network who are essentially doing their own thing, drawn to the Network by a shared focus on humiliation, dignity, nurturing, appreciation, transformation -- who participate in the sharing and cross-fertilization and mutual encouragement that takes place at the Conferences, and hopefully via the internet forums. The forums allow for an easier "networking" around shared interests -- education, research, etc. -- to compare, contrast, keep each other updated so that synergies can pop out and be taken advantage of, etc.

A coordinator or director of one of those forums is someone who takes the step out of the second circle into the first: S/he may continue to do their own thing, but that is not what the position is about. When acting in this role, the person focuses on the members in the second ring and what they are about, what they are trying to do, and provides encouragement, connections, brainstorming and the like for them in the pursuit of their own projects. A coordinator is a nurturer of other people in their own work, and sometimes in their own lives when they feel overall discouraged. A "coordinator" is not thought of as a "director" but more as a servant, a provider, one who seeks to be of help.

A coordinator also tends the larger picture in that domain, be it education or research or whatever: Where do all the individual efforts seem to be going, what do they have in common, where can they cross-fertilize, what does the bigger picture of global transformation seem to be most in need of that can be put out as a thinking-point that individual researchers might or might not want to take up as part of their work.

The other side of a coordinator role, as someone who has been brought into the first circle, is to enter into the shared process of reflection that goes on at the heart of the Network, reflection on humiliation/dignity/nurture/ transformation/appreciation/etc, as broad ways of understanding global life, its needs and possibilities, and on the "micro" level of our lived interactions. This is the realm of "walking the talk" and anyone who comes into the first circle as a coordinator takes on the responsibility for this kind of personal reflection so that, in the course of attending to the members of the Network he/she deals with, the interactions embody the effort to live what we think about. In this the goal is that whoever we have dealt with comes away with their own dignity "grown" or affirmed in the process.

 

Reflections on Travel and Global Warming

Please let us insert some reflections on the problem of travel to our conferences and global warming.
• "Greenhouse Gas Pollution in the Stratosphere Due to Increasing Airplane Traffic, Effects On the Environment," by Katta G. Murty
• Lynn King kindly shares with us advice as to how to organise a 'Green Conference'

Neil Ryan Walsh, May 23, 2007

During a presentation at our 2007 conference in Hangzhou, China, environmentalist Keitaro Morita, pointed out how many “environmental” and “progressive” organizations do not “walk the talk” of environmentalism, and how participation in international conferences contributes to the problem of global warming.

We, the HumanDHS network, promote the vision that all global citizens ought to recognize their joint responsibility for their human family and its biosphere.

We hold one conference a year in a different part of the world so as to make it more accessible to members from all regions to meet each other, and make great efforts for people from developed and developing parts of the world to interact. We realize that travel to these activities also to global warming.

Taking Action:
As meeting face-to-face is an important part of building our global network, we think we should continue to hold our conferences while supporting alternative fuel technologies and lobbying the world's decision makers and engineers to leave the outdated technology of burning fossil fuels behind.

Your vital contribution to these efforts is needed:
We would also ask those interested to support or become involved in one of the environmental groups we recommend on World Environment for Equal Dignity Project.

We are constantly attempting to build and improve digital interconnectedness of our network. Any ideas or other contributions you have to help us improve these efforts is greatly welcome and appreciated.

Evelin Lindner, May 29, 2007

We are very conscious of the fact that our global conferences add to global warming when our participants use airplanes. We have several thoughts:

1. We attempt to build digital ways of meeting so that the need for travel is lessened.

2. Many of our participants do not come from the wealthy parts of the world, and adding to their sense of exclusion through forbidding them to come to our conferences, would easily amount to humiliation.

3. Conversely, we would like to encourage people from the wealthier parts of the world to engage with the rest actively and in person, so as to be better prepared to address the suffering of millions.

4. We, the HumanDHS network, wish to promote dignity and transcend humiliation, among others by promoting the vision that all global citizens ought to recognize their joint responsibility for their human family and its biosphere. Meeting face-to-face, at least once in a while, is an important part of building a global human family. Instead of cutting down on something that is important for building a global family, namely to meet, we think we should rather work for increasing efforts to press the world's decision makers and engineers to do something that is long overdue, namely to leave outdated technologies behind (see links to organizations that merit support, for example, on our World Environment for Equal Dignity page).

• "Living Globally: Global Citizenship of Care as Personal Practice," is the long version of Lindner's contribution to the anthology Norwegian Citizen - Global Citizen, 2013: It starts as follows: "I admit, I am a pioneer, almost too far ahead of my time—I have not yet met another person who intentionally develops a global life design like me. Yet, I am sure that many more people would derive great joy from trying my path. Sadly, I see how many who are in a position to be more daring stop at ‘straw man’ arguments. The ecological footprint of global citizenship, for instance, does not have to be large: I move about our planet slowly, since forty years, not just by plane but by foot, bus, ship, and train; I know the desert on horse, donkey, and camel; I have even trained to build and fly simple gliders and small motor planes. To be sure, one of the tasks of global citizenship is to globalise the insight that the burning of fossil fuel is outdated and irresponsible and has to be replaced by more intelligent solutions—and that burning biofuel from urgently needed food is even worse."

Michael Britton, June 12, 2007

Please read an essay that Michael Britton wrote in response to the dialogue between Evelin Lindner and Neil Ryan had on the challenge of finding the "right" moral tone in formulating a statement for our website in response to a writer's email noting that our annual conferences involve air travel: Doesn't that involve us in activity that works counter to concerns about climate change? What should the Network's statement on the subject be? I was delighted by the invitation to comment on their joint writing endeavor.  How could I not find the issues they so elegantly raised both fascinating and illuminating? 

Michael Britton (June 2007)
Finding the ‘Right’ Moral Tone Regarding Climate Change And Travel

 

Ideas for Future Conferences

Michael Britton, June 3, 2007

I found myself imagining a different kind of conference in which we would do art together, and/or movement, to give expression to the phases of transformation from humiliation to egalization, as another way of "knowing" what it is our left-hemisphere's are working so hard on to represent in our writings. The experiences of being in humiliation, or of inflicting it. Of defending against it. Of getting angry or remorseful and deciding to change things. Of coming out of humiliation and its web of experiences into egalization and appreciation, mutuality, trust, safety, and so on. I think it's an interesting fantasy that might not be best realized in its original form. Maybe this is what you've been aiming for with the art-related part of the website? I wanted to pass this along to germinate, whatever it might grow into along the way!

Bill Leland, June 9, 2007

It is the action focus in the context of human dignity and mutuality which seems to be coming through clearly and powerfully to me. So, what seems to be appearing to me, probably still somewhat fuzzy, is action groups of 4 or 5 people who:
- communicate with each other via the Web,
- commit to manifest in their communications the values of human dignity and mutual empowerment (the Network could coalesce from work already done a set of guidelines),
- commit to act in their everyday lives in whatever context is most appropriate at any given time (work situations, partner relationships, parent-child relationships, etc.) to increase human dignity, decrease humiliation, increase mutual empowerment (the Network could provided stories/exemplary case studies to give ideas about what, for example, in real terms increasing human dignity looks like),
- commit to share their experiences with each other,
- commit to provide support for each other -"listening" (reading in this case) and giving constructive and honest feedback.

These action groups could meet for a set period of time, for example three months. During that time each action group would document one or more stories or case studies which would describe the constructive actions and challenging factors that are involved in walking into and creating the alternative universe.

Each action group could determine which of their stories would be contributed to the Network's central repository of these stories. The repository could be organized according to the type of mutual relationship in point. Overtime, we could expect to see wonderful real life stories which describe how human dignity and mutual empowerment transformed a wide range of relationships - from families to international conflicts and oppressions.

After a group had been together for, say, three months, each of the 4 or 5 people in that group would then form a new group of 4 or 5 people, and so on.

It would probably be beneficial to have some way of presenting to the entire alternative universe movement the sum of all that is happening. This information could be shared in a variety of ways to the broadest and most diverse public.

Jennifer Goldman, June 16, 2005

I support the idea of connecting the theory with practical application, and urge us to think about how what we’re researching and writing about can be applied in real world settings. It could be helpful for us to choose one or a few real world situations that are relevant for people’s work (for example, the situation at Abu Ghraib; or on-going problems of humiliations occurring at national and international boundaries, i.e. airport and road checkpoints in all parts of the world, from the U.S., to Tibet/China, to Israel/Palestine; or workplace-based humiliation) and use the examples to ground our discussions about theory and research... It could also be useful to make distinctions between different types of humiliation, such as individual-level, collective-level, etc. or humiliation that occurs within different settings, such as workplace, international, etc., and to have break-out sessions that focus on those topics.
Structurally, it could make sense to meet all day Thurs, and a half-day on Friday, so we can end on a strong note with most people in attendance on Friday (and perhaps to add an informal dinner on Wed night to extend the social time for those who could make it).
Jennifer kindly wrote (August 29, 2005): Dear Evelin, I hope you're doing well! I've done a bit of brainstorming for topics for the conference, and thought I'd forward them to you (I mentioned these to Peter and Beth as well). Best, Jennifer
Some ideas for small groups/topics for the humiliation conference:
•  1.
-   Does culture affect how people experience humiliating events? If so, how?
-   What role do collectivistic vs. individualistic cultures play in how people experience humiliating events?
-   Do people's behavioral reactions to humiliation differ depending on whether the humiliation is aimed at them individually versus collectively (i.e., an affront against one's person vs. an affront against one's group)? If so, how might their behavioral reactions differ? (e.g., would one type of humiliation lead people to be respond more aggressively than another?)
•  2.
-   What role do social norms play in how people react, emotionally and behaviorally, to humiliating events?
-   What role do social norms play in how people recall, or remember, humiliating events?
•  3.
-   To what degree is humiliation an "identity forming" emotion?
•  4.
-   How does the construct of humiliation differ from the constructs of shame, guilt, embarrassment and other similar emotions?
•  5.
Methodological considerations:
-   How can effective and efficient studies of humiliation be acheived through different methodologies?
-   What considerations need to be taken into account when studying humiliation in the field? In the lab? In survey studies?
-   How can we simulate studies on humiliation in the lab setting? What are the IRB issues involved?

Ideas for Round Table topics

•  Floyd Webster Rudmin:
- "Asymmetries in self-perceptions of being the humiliatee versus the humiliator"
- "Archetypal humiliation in literature: A survey of English literature teachers"
•  Annette Engler:
- "Constructing Narratives after Violent Conflict"
Annette kindly wrote on March 31, 2006: "I would like to discuss how individuals construct their narratives after traumatic experiences or event."
•  Dharm P. S. Bhawuk:
- "Theory, Method, and Practice of Humiliation Research"
This could also be a topic for our Open Space
•  Ana Ljubinkovic:
- "Assistance and Humiliation"
•  Varda Mühlbauer:
- "Humiliation/Dignity in the Workplace"
- "Humiliation/Dignity in the Family"
•  Zahid Shahab Ahmed:
- "Humiliation and Child Sexual Abuse"
•  Victoria C. Fontan:
- "Terrorism and Humiliation" and
- "Armed Conflict, Escalation and Humiliation"
•  Miriam Marton:
- "Consequences of Humiliation"
•  Jörg Calliess:
- "How to Prepare 'Non-Psychologists' (Human Rights Defenders, Peace Keepers, etc.) for Dealing with the Trauma of Humiliation in Victims"
•  Emmanuel Ndahimana:
- "Ignorance and Humiliation"
•  Arie Nadler:
- "Justice and Humiliation"
•  Alicia Cabezudo:
- "Interlinking Peace Education and Humiliation Studies: A Bridge for Crossing Borders"

 

Some Relevant Quotes

Now a lot of us are preachers, and all of us have moral convictions and concerns, and so often have problems with power. There is nothing wrong with power if power is used correctly. You see, what happened is that some of our philosophers got off base. And one of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power have usually been contrasted as opposites - polar opposites - so that love is identified with a resignation of power, and power with a denial of love. ..... What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.
- A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., edited by James M. Washington. This quote comes from Martin Luther King Jr.  1967, SCLC presidential address.
- This quote was kindly provided to us by Linda Hartling.

For me, rather than thinking of human dignity as an individual, internal phenomena, I like to think of human dignity as a co-created experience. It is a experience developed through respectful connection (interpersonal, social, international, etc.) in which people feel known and valued, they feel that they matter... It is our responsibility to participate in the construction of this relational experience for all people.
- These are reflections sent to us by Linda Hartling on October 11, 2006.

Hans Blix formulated a list of adjectives that would be desirable for the conduct of an inspector. This list fleshes out the concept of walking the talk:
• Driving and dynamic – but not angry and aggressive
• Firm – but correct
• Ingenious – but not deceptive
• Somewhat flexible – but not to be pushed around
• Calm – but somewhat impatient
• Keeping some distance – but not arrogant or pompous
• Friendly – but not cozy
• Show respect for those you deal with – and demand respect for yourself
• A light tone or a joke may sometimes break a nervous atmosphere.
- Hans Blix, quoted from http://www.un.org/.
See also page 52 in Hans Blix (2004), Disarming Iraq: The Search for Weapons of Mass Destruction, London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing.

 

Funding Possibilities

HumanDHS organizes two annual conferences, one outside of the U.S., and the other one within the U.S. (so far always at Columbia University in New York City).

• Participants are encouraged to find their own sources of funding or economic support to participate in our conferences. Please inquire in your country and your university about possibilities. See, among others, for the US, www.supportcenter.org and www.foundationscenter.org.

• For our NY workshop: The Weinstein International Fellowship program, inaugurated in 2008, provides opportunities for individuals from outside the United States to visit the U.S. to learn more about dispute resolution processes and practices and to pursue a project of their own design that serves to advance the resolution of disputes in their home countries.

 

Detailed List of our Conferences

HumanDHS organizes two annual conferences, one outside of the U.S., and the other one within the U.S. (so far always at Columbia University in New York City).

July 7, 2003
New York City

First Annual Round Table of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies at Columbia University in New York City in 2003, convened by Morton Deutsch, with Michelle Fine, Susan Opotow, Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Janet Gerson, Andrea Bartoli, and Peter T. Coleman as participants.

   
12th-13th September 2003
Paris

2nd Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Paris in 2003, convened by Evelin Lindner.
Please read the Conference Notes (thanks to Becca!)

   
16th-18th September 2004
Paris
3rd Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Paris in 2004, convened by Evelin Lindner at the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme in Paris. The third day of this conference, the 18th of September, represents the first of our film days, where Dharm Bhawuk shows films of our World Films for Equal Dignity project.
Please read:
•  the Conference Notes (thanks to Becca!)
•  Newsletter Nr. 1 (Founding Isssue, September 2004)
•  Newsletter Nr. 2 (September 2004, subsequent to our Paris Conference)
   
November 18-19, 2004
New York City
4th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2004 Annual Round Table Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Evelin Lindner, ICCCR, Andrea Bartoli, SIPA, Judit Révész, and Heidi and Guy Burgess, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 3 (November 2004, subsequent to our New York City Workshop)
•  an overview over all Workshops on Humiliation and Violent Conflict
   
15-17th
September 2005

Berlin, Germany
5th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Berlin in 2005, titled "Beyond Humiliation: Encouraging Human Dignity in the Lives and Work of All People," convened and organised by Eric van Grasdorff and Evelin Lindner.
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 4 (Summer 2005, Prior to our Berlin Conference)
•  the Conference Notes (thanks to Becca!)
•  Newsletter Nr. 5 (September 2005, subsequent to our Berlin Conference)
   
December 15-16, 2005
New York City
6th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2005 Annual Round Table Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Evelin Lindner, Linda Hartling, ICCCR, and Andrea Bartoli, SIPA, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Videos
•  the Conference Notes of Day One (thanks to Tonya et al.!)
•  the Conference Notes of Day Two (thanks to Tonya et al.!)
•  Newsletter Nr. 6 (December 2005, subsequent to our 2005 New York City Conference)
•  an overview over all Workshops on Humiliation and Violent Conflict
   
6th-9th
September 2006

San Jose, Costa Rica
7th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 2006, convened and organised by Victoria C. Fontan, Christopher Santee, Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner.
Please see Newsletter Nr. 7 (September 2006, subsequent to our 2006 Costa Rica Conference)
   
December 14-15, 2006
New York City
8th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2006 Annual Round Table Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Evelin Lindner, Linda Hartling, ICCCR, and Andrea Bartoli, SIPA, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see the Workshop Notes (thanks to Jessica et al.!) of:
•  Round Table 1 - 12.14.06
•  Round Table 2 - 12.15.06
•  Round Table 3 - 12.15.06
•  Public Event - 12.14.06
•  What Now - 12.14.06
•  What Now - 12.15.06
•  Newsletter Nr. 8 (December 2006, subsequent to our 2006 New York City Workshop)
•  Please see an overview over all Workshops on Humiliation and Violent Conflict
   
13th-17th April 2007
Hangzhou, China
9th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Hangzhou, China, in 2007, convened and organised by Professor Shi-xu, Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner.
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 9 (written subsequent to this conference)
• 
We video-taped part of our conference
   
December 13-14, 2007
New York City
10th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2007 Annual Round Table Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Evelin Lindner, Linda Hartling, ICCCR, and Andrea Bartoli, SIPA, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 10 (written subsequent to this conference)
•  We video-taped our entire conference
   
23th June-1st July 2008
Oslo, Norway
11th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Oslo, Norway, in 2008, as part of the Wergeland Year for Human Dignity, convened and organised by Professors Oddbjørn Fure and Kjell Skyllstad, and by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner.
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 11 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
December 11-12, 2008
New York City
12th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2008 Annual Round Table Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Evelin Lindner, Linda Hartling, ICCCR, and SIPA, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 12 (written subsequent to this conference)
•  We video-taped the entire conference
   
August 20-23,
2009

Honolulu, Hawai'i

13th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2009, titled 'World Peace Through Humiliation-Free Global Human Interactions', convened and organized by Dharm P. S. Bhawuk, Professor of Management and Culture and Community Psychology College of Business Administration, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, and by Linda Hartling, and Evelin Lindner, as part of the 6th biennial conference of International Academy of Intercultural Research, with the theme "World Peace through Intercultural Understanding."
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 13 (written subsequent to this conference)

   
December 10-11, 2009
New York City
14th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2009 Annual Round Table Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 14 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
28th - 30th April 2010
Istanbul

15th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Istanbul, in 2010, titled 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World', convened and organised by Hayal Köksal, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 15 (written subsequent to this conference)

   
December 9-10,
2010

New York City

16th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2010 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 16 (written subsequent to this conference)

   
29th August - 1st September 2011
New Zealand
17th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 2011, titled 'Enlarging the Boundaries of Compassion', convened and organised by Kevin P. Clements, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 17 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 8-9,
2011

New York City

18th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2011 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 18 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
27th-30th August 2012
Oslo, Norway, and Portland, Oregon, USA
19th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, in Oslo, Norway, and Portland, Oregon, USA, in 2012, titled 'In the Aftermath of the 22nd July: How to Sustain a Global Culture of Equality in Dignity or likeverd', convened and organised by Jorunn Økland, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 19 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
December 6-7,
2012

New York City
20th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2012 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 20 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
24th - 28th April 2013
Stellenbosch,
South Africa
21st Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Stellenbosch, South Africa, in 2013, titled 'Search for Dignity', convened and organised by Hélène Lewis, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 21 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
December 5-6,
2013

New York City
22nd Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2013 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "The Urgency of Educating for Dignity," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 22 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
22nd-24th January 2013
Oslo, Norway
"Promoting Human Rights through Dignity," a Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Conference 23rd - 24th January 2013, University of Oslo, Norway, convened and organised by Trine Eklund, Babs Sivertsen, and Caroline Øverland, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
   
8th - 12th March 2014
Chiang Mai,
Thailand
23rd Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, "Returning Dignity," in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2014, titled 'Returning Dignity', convened and organised by Chayan Vaddhanaphuti at Chiang Mai University, inspired by Kjell Skyllstad, and supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 23 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
December 4-5,
2014

New York City
24th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2014 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "Work that Dignifies the Lives of All People," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
• Newsletter Nr. 24 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
2nd - 5th June 2015
Kigali, Rwanda
25th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2015, titled 'A Life of Dignity for All'. convened and organised by Emmanuel Ndahimana, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
• Newsletter Nr. 25 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
December 3-4,
2015

New York City
26th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2015 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "Honoring Alfred Nobel's Message," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 26 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

18th - 25th September 2016
Dubrovnik, Croatia

27th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Dubrovnik, Croatia, in 2016, titled 'Cities at Risk - From Humiliation to Dignity', convened and organised by Kjell Skyllstad, supported by Linda Hartling, and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 27 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 8-9
2016

New York City

28th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2016 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "The Globalization of Dignity," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, together with honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 28 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
29th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Indore, Central India, in 2017, titled 'Dignity in Times of Globalisation', convened and organised by the Indore Indira Group of Institutions, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 29 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 7-8
2017

New York City

30th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2017 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "The Nature of Dignity — The Dignity of Nature," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 30 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
Septembfer 2018
Cairo, Egypt
31st Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Egypt, in 2018, titled 'Dignity and Innovation – Strategies for a Sustainable Future, with a Special Focus on Agriculture and Water', convened and organised by Ragnhild Nilsen and Sekem, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 31 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 6-7
2018

New York City

32nd Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2018 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "What Is the Language of Dignity?" convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 32 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
September 2019
Marabá, in the Amazonian State of Pará, Brasil
33rd Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Brasil, in 2019, titled 'Cultivating Good Living Amazon: Nurturing Solidarity with Mother Earth', convened and organised by Dan Baron, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 33 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 5-6
2019

New York City

34th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2019 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "Can We Teach Dignity? Becoming Lifelong Apprentices of Dignity from Childhood Throughout All Ages," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 34 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 10-11
2020

New York City

35th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2020 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "From a Virus Pandemic to a Pandemic of Dignity: How Can We Escape Complicity with Institutionalized Humiliation?" convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch (due to the coronavirus pandemic, this workshop was conducted online)
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 35 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 9–11
2021

New York City

36th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2021 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "Toward a New Global Normal: Dignity Through Solidarity!" convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch (due to the coronavirus pandemic, this workshop was conducted online)
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 36 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
2022
Amman, Jordan
37th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Amman, Jordan, in 2022, titled 'From United Nations to United People: From the Brink of Disaster to a Future of Dignity', convened and organised by Prince El Hassan Bin Talal, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner (this was a hybrid conference, both in-person and online)
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 37 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 9
2022

New York City

38th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2022 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "For People and the Planet: Learning for a Future of Dignity," convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch (due to the coronavirus pandemic, this workshop was conducted online)
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 38 (written subsequent to this conference)
   

December 8
2023

New York City

39th Annual HumanDHS Conference, 2023 Annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, titled "The Urgency of Seeding Dignity: Honoring 20 Years of Global Collaboration for Transforming Suffering Through Courageous and Compassionate Action," 20th workshop in this series, convened and organized by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner, in honor of late honorary convener Morton Deutsch (this was a hybrid workshop, in-person and online)
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. 39 (written subsequent to this conference)
   
September 2024
Madrid, Spain
40th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Spain (originally planned for 2020, but delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic), convened and organised by Saulo Fernández, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner (delayed from 2020 to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic)
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. x (written subsequent to this conference)
   
Sindh, Pakistan

Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Lahore, Pakistan (originally planned for 2021, but delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic), convened and organised by Shahid Khan, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. x (written subsequent to this conference)

   
Canada

Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Canada , convened and organised by Alean Al-Krenawi, supported by Linda Hartling and Evelin Lindner
Please see:
•  Newsletter Nr. x (written subsequent to this conference)

   
Future Conferences

•  Since our Paris Conference in 2003, Eric Van Grasdorff urges us to have a HumanDHS conference in Africa, and he suggests Cameroon, where he has one of his anchoring points. In our 2008 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City, Adenrele Awotona strongly supported this suggestion.
•  Since our Berlin Conference in 2005, also Emmanuel Ndahimana urges us to have a HumanDHS conference in Africa, and he suggests Rwanda, where he lives. We had the privilege of accepting his offer for 2015.
•  Neil Ryan Walsh would like to organize a HumanDHS conference in Japan, either as a global or local meeting.
•  Floyd Rudmin kindly suggests to organize a HumanDHS conference in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, or Montreal, at some point!
• In 2007, during Evelin Lindner's stay in Alexandria, Egypt, the idea was aired that Ambassador Aly Maher El Sayed, advisor to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, would be a great host for a future annual conference at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
•  At our 2007 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City , Arie Nadler and Yoav Peck aired the idea to organize a HumanDHS Conference on Humiliation in Jerusalem.
•  At our 2007 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City , Maggie O'Neill aired the idea to organize a HumanDHS Conference on Humiliation in the UK. Also Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan suggests to have one of our Annual connference in the UK, perhaps 2011.
•  At our 2007 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City , Florina Benoit added to the call of our Indian members, to organize a HumanDHS Conference on Humiliation in India. Also Rina Kashyap kindly offers to host one of our future conferences in New Delhi. And what about Indore with Deepak Tripathi!?
•  Alain d'Iribarne, Administrator of the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, FMSH, kindly suggests (21st April 2008) that we have our 10th anniversary conference in 2013 again at the Maison des Sciences de l'Homme in Paris! Thank you, dear Alain!
•  Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra and Seema Shekhawat kindly envisage organizing a HumanDHS Conference in Mumbai. Chipamong Chowdhury (family name), or Bhante Revata (monk's name, known in the monastic communities), in our 2008 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City , also suggests Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
•  At some point, our conference will have to take place also in South America. It would be wonderful if Howard Richards could organize a HumanDHS conference there.
•  Emanuela Del Re suggests that we have a conference in Rome.
•  Evelin would like to have one of our conferences in Bhutan, however, this might be too costly to travel to for most members.
•  In our 2008 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City , Philip Brown spoke about an alternative meeting place in Long Island.
• Ardian Adžanela suggests that we have a conference in Sarajevo. He kindly writes (17th December 2008): "I believe the concept of sustainable Human Dignity in Human communication and social interaction is ( or at least should be) of special importance to transitional societies like Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has not been a war country for almost two decades now, but still faces some side-affects of the war."
• Pandora Hopkins kindly suggests (on June 4, 2009) that we organize one of our conferences in La Paz in Mexico at some point.
• In our Hawaii Conference in 2009Uichol Kim kindly suggests (on August 21, 2009) that we organize one of our conferences in Yogjakarta, Indonesia, at some point.
• In our Hawaii Conference in 2009Victoria C. Fontan kindly suggests (on August 23, 2009) that we organize one of our conferences in Hargeisa, Somaliland, at some point, with the help of dear Edna Adan.
• Kevin Paul Clements kindly suggests (on 1st September 2009) that we have one of our conferences in Dunedin, New Zealand, at some point.
• Linda M. Hartling kindly suggests (on 6th October 2009) that we have one of our conferences in Nepal, with the help of her dear friend Krishna. On 10th October 2012, also Chandra Prasad Siwakoti is calling on us to have one of our annual conference in Nepal. He informs us of a new report by the UN Human Rights Office and writes: "Large numbers of people are feeling and suffering humiliation from both sides (Maoist and Government). An annual conference of our HumanDHS network in the South Asian region would be a millstone for the entire world community. Therefore, I would like to humbly request to YOU EVELIN , LINDA, and the organizing committee, to organize one of the future annual conferences in Nepal. This is a time to be unified against human rights violators, a time for protection and respecting human rights and human dignity in the world."
Also Bishnu Phatak and Hari Bansh Jha support the idea to have a conference in Nepal, and
• Dharm P. S. Bhawuk suggests (10th August 2010) to connect some of our future conferences with International Academy for Intercultural Research (IAIR) conferences
• Theary Seng kindly suggests Cambodia as a conference venue, and her CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education as host (January 2011).
• Kjell Skyllstad encourages us to consider the Earthrights Foundation in Chiang Mai in North Thailand as a possible host for one of our future conferences (November 27, 2010).
• James Darbouze kindly suggests to have one of our future conferences in Haiti.
• Carol Smaldino kindly suggests Italy.
• Ya'ir Ronen kindly suggets Beer Sheva, Israel, after our 2011 Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict in New York City.
• Waheed Ahmad, Advocate High Court, Secretary of the Interfaith Harmony Committee of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Coordinator of the Juvenile and Minority Cell of Punjab Bar Council, Secretary of the Human Rights Watch Committee of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (2011-12), Secretary of the Human Rights Committee Lahore High Court Bar Association (2009-11), Legal Aid Commissioner for the International Criminal Court (ICC, 2010-2013), Former Deputy Director of Human Rights and Protection of Lawyers at the Union Internationale des Avocats (International Association of Lawyers, UIA), kindly suggested on October 2, 2013: "You people are always welcome to arrange your next Human Rights Event in Lahore, and I assure you my full cooperation in this regard."
• Dr. Catherine Chua Siew Khenge kindly suggested on June 20, 2015, to hold one of our conferences in Singapore! Thank you, dear Catherine. And thank you, Francisco Gomes de Matos, for connecting us all!
Mark R.M.Itallange, after having participated in our 2015 conference in Rwanda, expresses enthusiastic interest to have one of our future conferences in his country Tanzania.
• Siraj Khan suggests Dubai, where he is based, to be the venue of one of our future conferences. Thank you, dear Siraj!
Francisco Cardoso kindly suggests the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) in Portugal.
• We very much thank Margret Rueffler for suggesting her wonderful Organic Garden and Retreat Center Jiwa Damai in Bali as a future venue for one of our dignity conferences!
Kemal Taruc kindly wrote on 7th August 2019: "All the best for the Amazon conference. I am hopeful that one day soon we can organize a similar conference in Borneo, Sulawesi, or Papua."
Carol Smaldino kindly invited us to have one of our future dignity conferences in Italy (Video). She kindly suggested this idea at the 2021 Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict, Virtual at Columbia University, New York City, December 9 – 11, 2021.
Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra is full time political science faculty at Florida State College in Jacksonville, and also his wife Seema Shekhawat is teaching at this college and at the University of North Florida. They hope that one day a Dignity conference can be hosted in Jacksonville.

 

Previous Reflections on the Format of Our Conferences - Dignilogue - Open Space and What It Entails

HumanDHS organizes two annual conferences, one outside of the U.S., and the other one within the U.S. (so far always at Columbia University in New York City).

Introduction into the Open Space Format by Linda M. Hartling (created on 13th August 2012)
(see also Open Space Tools by Peggy Holman)

Donald Klein explained the Open Space design as follows (2006): It involves creating a kind of 'marketplace' of possibilities based on topics nominated by participants. The only requirement is that whoever nominates the topic, acts as the convener of the discussion of the topic and takes responsibility for having notes taken. A report is subsequently made about the essence of what was discussed, including any conclusions or recommendations, at a plenary session following the topic groups.
The Open Space design has the advantage of focussing on whatever is of greatest interest to participants at the moment. It allows for parallel discussion of multiple topics, followed by a period of sharing and general discussion.

Alan Klein kindly wrote, 31st October 2005: One of the key elements in making an OS event successful is the focusing of the question that the participants respond to. Another is being clear about what will be done with the information presented and/or decisions made in the OS event itself.

I would like you all (and any others who should be involved in this as well) to begin thinking and dialoguing about what would be the most question that you would most like to see grappled with by the participants. This may or may not include a sense of the decision(s), or type of decision(s) that you want the participants to come to or you may decide that the OS event is just for gathering and focusing energy and not to some to any decisions.
Thanks,
~Alan

On 14th December, 2005, we had a Board Meeting in NY:
We discussed our Open Space Section. Don explained that we could have different levels, a more open and general level and a more focused level. At the more open level we would discuss what is on our minds, at the more focused level, we would form 'buzzgroups' on particular topics, such as business, research, education, fundraising, non-profit.

Don Klein kindly wrote, 30th December 2005:
[...] The main point I recall dwelling on at some length had to do with deciding first on the content of a session and its purpose; then deciding what meeting technology to use. Open Space is often used when the purpose is to make it possible for individuals to focus on aspects of a general topic that are of special interest to them. The participants themselves choose what they want to discuss.  No one knows in advance how many groups there will be and what they'll be  discussing.
Buzz groups are used as a way to break a large meeting down into smaller sections (usually from six to twelve or so people). All the buzz groups can be assigned the same topic; or different buzz groups can be assigned different aspects of the same topic; or buzz groups may be divided among two or more different - usually related - topics.
The main point is to decide what is to be the topical focus and what outcomes are desired from a session.  Then pick the technique that promises to help us achieve the purpose.
Love, Don

Sophie Schaarschmidt kindly wrote, 2nd January 2006:
What I would suggest for a following workshop (and this is my very personal view) is to create discussion forums as open choices. The open space technology as I know it, and as it is used mainly in the field of training involves participants in a unique way. The first step is like an open brainstorm session involving all participants. In this session, participants can come up with a topic that they want to (present and) discuss. All topics are written down and similar topics might be combined into one topic. This process can happen either beforehand via email or a web-forum or at the workshop on a blackboard. Once the discussion topics are defined the person that proposed a certain topic would announce a time and a space when and where the topic will be discussed. In a full day of open-space, up to 50 topics could be discussed. People are free to join and leave a discussion. As a metaphor, people are like bees flying from one topic to another, participating in a discussion as long as it feeds their interest and taking the honey from it as well as contributing to it, and leaving the discussion when it takes a turn into a direction that they are less interested in or when they wish to participate in other discussions on other topics as well. Normally people take part in 3 to 10 discussions a day. Therefore, people are free to select the topics they are interested in and move to other discussions, as listener or both, listener and contributor. Each discussion group is also free in putting their time frame, and scheduling breaks. Of course, there should be a time frame for the open-space session, let's say it would take place from 1pm to 5pm in the afternoon. Yet, discussion groups can schedule their space (location), time frame (a discussion could last half an hour or three hours: as much as it takes to explore the issue) and breaks themselves. The only condition is that the discussion topic, its location and starting time will be announced (or written down on a public board) so that all participants know when which subject will be discussed where.
I participated twice in such an open-space session and I was very much impressed by its power and evolving possibilities. Not only were people more active, excited and engaged, taking little breaks, but also people felt they could gain and contribute most in this process. They felt they were free to choose which discussions to engage in, and it was an easy way to make contacts with those people interested and engaged in topics similar to one's own. By being able to set an own time frame discussions were deeper than usual, and by participants moving from one topic to another, joining (and making new contributions) or leaving a discussion the discussions stayed vivid and interesting, and many perspectives could be shared. At the end of a discussion each group filled in an A4 page which contained the title of the discussion group, a list of the names of the people who contributed in the discussion, and a summary of what was discussed (the main stances). All the discussion summaries can be combined to a book at the end of the conference providing people with a tremendous treasure of topics and insights.
Another advantage of the open-space technology (as I experienced it) is that people stay 'fresh' in the workshop. The discussion excites and revives people and forms a good basis for getting to know each other and going on with the discussions at a later time in the workshop (e.g. during lunch).
It might be worthy to try the open-space technology in a HumanDHS workshop meeting substituting the round table sessions, or in addition to them. The only difficulty I'm aware of might be that we would need many spaces (rooms) where the discussion groups could spread for their discussions.
[...]
Good luck for your work in 2006!
Yours warmly,
Sophie Schaarschmidt

Linda M. Hartling kindly wrote in response to a message from Carlos Sluzki, 21st January 2006:
How do we maximize the quality of work together when we are a group of individuals with dramatically varying levels of experience? This is such an important topic I think we should discuss it at our next meeting in Costa Rica. Perhaps, we could use some of our Board meeting time to discuss this? In addition, perhaps we could use some of our 'open space' time to explore people's view of this dilemma? I suspect that all of us involved with the operations of this network share a desire to optimize our efforts, to move the work forward efficiently and effectively. When we use an all-inclusive format at our meetings, we risk back tracking and dealing with questions that have obvious answers (e.g., convincing some newer attendees of the significance humiliating behavior). (...) In the words of Peter Drucker, I would like to see our group create conditions that 'strengthen our effectiveness and make our weaknesses irrelevant'. But, how do we do this in a way that promotes the dignity of all the people who attend our meetings?  I'm trying to think of some examples of organizations that do this... perhaps, Linda Stout's Piedmont Peace Project? Not too long ago I read a book entitled, 'The Wisdom of Crowds', which I think is relevant to our questions about inclusion/exclusion. It
describes the conditions for 'wise crowds'. (Surowiecki, J. (2004). The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies, and Nations. New York: Doubleday.)

Don Klein kindly responded, 28th January 2006:
I very much support the focus on where we want to go. Suggest working in interest groups part of the time: i.e., education, research, civic action, global community building. And include a way for groups to emerge around other areas of interest.  for that matter, if only one person had an
interest and wanted to develop it further and then share his/her thoughts with us, that might also be possible.
Love, Don

Don Klein kindly wrote, 28th January 2006:
I'd like to offer some experiences with the network originally known as National Training Laboratories.  This network, begun around 1950, is sstill in existence today; it has changed, however, in ways that seem relevant to the issues raised.
The network originally was a group of 'originators' of theory and practice in the area of group dynamics.  Most of them had participated in the discovery of 'sensitivity groups' or the t=group method.  After almost a decade, the more experienced people in the network became Fellows, as distinct from ordinary Members of the network.  To admit someone to their membership, all the Fellows had to agree that the applicant's credentials merited inclusion in the Fellows.  During t his initial period, which lasted about ten years, selected members of the network participated as staff members of two and three-week training programs for the general public, using the t-group method.  An enormous amount of theory building took place as faculty spent three or four days preparing each of the training labs.  It should be noted that most of the network were academics engaged in one or another of the social sciences, in areas related to democratic participation in social change.  They were all motivated by their common passion and some of them felt that the two or three weeks they spent with their  colleagues from around the country were the most meaningful and exciting of the entire year.
In the 1960s, questions arose about the suitability of having a 'class' system in the network.  The Fellows were seen as an anti-democratic perversion of the ideals and purposes of NTL.  And so the Fellows class was discontinued.
At about the same time, financial difficulties led to a reorganization of NTL, which included dissolution of the existing netework and inviting a more diverse group (sex, race, and ethnically) to form a new network.  The theory and practice of Organization Development, meanwhile, had emerged and more and more of NTLs network members became engaged in OD practice, while fewer and fewer network members were engaged in academic pursuits.
In my view the social impact and creativity of the current network have been reduced by NTL's growing emphasis on operating profitably as a 'business'.
There is currently an upsurge (how strong we don't know) of those wishing to advocate working on participative ways to democratize our institutions and our society.  Some of the network members are placing an increased emphasis on creating an international network and of promoting global community.
A major point in all of this history for me is that there is no 'ideal' and certainly no 'absolute' way of resolving questions having to do with competency, interest, and inclusion.  Based on the above history, my inclination is to favor the 'class' system; i.s., creating a group of qualified researchers, practitioners, and policy shapers to work together to shape, participate in, and contribute knowledge and skills to the work of HDHS network, including those activities that enable it to raise money by grants, contracts, income from training programs, and contributions.
These comments are lengthy. I hope they're helpful.
Love,
Don

Linda M. Hartling kindly wrote, 27th April 2006:
In terms of Open Space...I think we should have some of the same groups we had in Berlin, with room for a couple of new groups. For example, we could have an education group, a research group, a business group, etc. It would be helpful to have these key groups continue their discussions, rather than creating all new groups. Didn't we talk about having 'buzz groups', meaning groups addressing topics that people want to continue to move forward? The education, research, and business groups could be buzz groups.

The following Dignilogue topics were proposed in different conferences, yet, the facilitators are unable to come. The topics are listed here, because they might inspire you.

•  Giving Voices to the Environmentally Humiliated and Misrecognized: Nature and Women by Keitaro Morita (adapted from a similar presentation at the 9th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies in Hangzhou, China, 13th-16th April 2007)

•  Peace: A World History, by Antony Adolf (2009)

•  Native Hawaiian and Polynesian Communities, by Dharm P. S. Bhawuk and Neil Ryan Walsh (Neil was unfortunately hindered to join us) (2009)

•  Familiarization and Its Ways: Is Ragging/Bullying an Archaic Method of Interaction, by Harsh Agarwal (2009)

•  Humiliation and Dreams, a talk/session by Dakshinamoorthi Raja Ganesan (2009)

•  Asian Religious Worldviews and Alienation, and/or Alienation and Dreams, a talk/session by Dakshinamoorthi Raja Ganesan (2009)

•  Video Series of the Causes and Patterns of Humiliating Experiences Through Role Play by Dakshinamoorthi Raja Ganesan (2009)
D. Raja Ganesan kindly wrote on January 15, 2009: 'I take this opportunity to suggest that a video series of the causes and patterns of humiliating experiences through role play of well established principles of social psychology--both culture free and culture fair--through role play and simulation be taken under the auspices of our group'.

•  Intercultural Research, faciliated by International Academy of Intercultural Research (IAIR) researchers (2009)

•  The Role of Dignity and Humiliation for How We Relate to Other Animals by Michael W. Fox (2010)

 The Role of Human Dignity in Nepal by Chandra Prasad Siwakoti (2012)
Synergy in understanding between the occurrence of violence in Norway and Nepal will be explored.

  Between Conspiracy Theories and Madness, by Katrine Fangen (2012)
Katrine Fangen, Ph.D., is a Professor in Sociology at the Department of Sociology of the University of Oslo. She has published several books and journal articles within the research-field of racism, national, political and ethnic identity, stigmatisation and youth subcultures. [read more]

  The Concept of Human Dignity in Indigenous Philosophies Project, by Lars Kirkhusmo Pharo and Tashi Nyima (2012)

  The Hubris Syndrome and Arabic Spring, by Wael Mohamed (2012)

  The Peacefulness of Chinese Teenagers, by Liu Bangchun (2012)

  Humiliation, Stanislavsky and Consciousness, by John Aspill (2012)

  Ubuntu & the Gift Paradigm in Africa, by Bernedette Muthien (2013)
See an interview with Bernedette Muthien, 'Gender Based Violence in South Africa', 27th September 2012, conducted by Annika Schall.

  I Apologise for Apartheid, by Ronèe Robinson (2013)
Ronèe Robinson wrote on 14th April 2013:
'Dear Evelin... I had an awesome day today in Worcester, where I attended a church service where some of the participants in the peace train spoke about their experiences. Afterwards two of the ladies who went on the train and met with Stefaans Coetzee were kind enough to have lunch with me. One of them worked as an intensive care nurse and another worked right across the shopping centre where the bomb went off. I listened spell bound as the nurse described the disbelief as the children were brought in, one little girl with her heart outside her body, and how she had to comfort young Dr Coetzee who wept hysterically because he could not save her. The other lady described the effect of the bomb blast and how she missed being injured because she decided against crossing the street, for some reason. 16 Years later, and through the Peace and Reconciliation process started by Dr Deon Snyman in Worcester, survivors of the bombing were on a train, sponsored by government, to meet with one of the bombers, Stefaans Coetzee. Having come to repentance in the prison (through the intervention of Eugene de Kock of all people) he was entirely honest with the people from Worcester. His honesty and the fact that he sought to make no excuses for himself led the people to accept his bona fides and they came to great healing. One man, who went there with the hope of doing Coetzee harm, left saying that, as far as he was concerned, Coetzee could now be set free. Today was all about hearing about people who walked a very real path of forgiveness, which they recognise as having set them free of a terrible burden of pain.
Healing was brought about by a number of factors, including the fact that, at last, these people experienced the government caring about them - the prison service did much to assist the process, even going so far as to escort the bus back from Pretoria to Johannesburg. They felt that they mattered, that they were somebody. But most importantly, I think it was that they came face to face with their monster, and then found with shock that he was just a human being who had, at one stage, gone very wrong. One lady now said that it was now time for the community to look after Stefaans! What a rich country we live in and what special people we have'.
Ronèe Robinson also sent us a message on the Die VroueMonumen, where her alma mater is gathered. She wrote: It 'is the most moving monument in the world, as far as I am concerned, to the effect of women in war. It is also a warning of what happens when the feminine strength gets repressed and denied. We would gather there once a year to celebrate the birthday of the school, which was founded by President Steyn after the war to create a woman that would stand as strong as a rock. Koningin Wilhelmina van de Nederlande gave the funds for the school, hence its name. The school went on to produce, among others, the first female advocate and first female judge of appeal in this country'.

  Merle Lefkoff and Joy Stocke (2013)

  Gay Rosenblum-Kumar made us aware of a speech by Brendan McAllister on The Quality of Our Attention (2013)

  Michael Britton's suggestion for our 2014 Chiang Mai conference: The Art of Not Being Governed in Upland Southeast Asia
Michael Britton wrote (25 feb 2014): Dearest Evelin, I wish to send to you and Kjell and everyone involved in making this conference my very best wishes, and my deepest desire to be there with you all on what will be such a deeply moving, life-informing experience.
If there are any parts of it that can be videotaped, I am starting a public-access video program here in my home town to share things from other parts of the world that explain the world with deeper understanding and respect, so it would be wonderful to share whatever might be appropriate.
This conference comes at a time when I am reading The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia by James C. Scott. In it he paints a picture of lowland civilizations/states developing in interaction with peoples living in the mountains and fleeing the states into the mountains, organizing their lives in such a way as to be beyond the power of the lowland states to incorporate them. He views this as a worldwide phenomenon, a dialectic of civilizations/states and places in which those who want no part of that enterprise preserve their own lives by living in the mountains, in the marshes, in a variety of "difficult" geographies that in the past made them beyond the reach of the states. Yet now, today, the "modern" states and corporations press everywhere to finish off the job of making everyone and every place part of their controlled domain.
I imagine that you are all right in the middle of just such a contesting of power and the right to live one's own ways unfettered by state or corporate power, though I do not know this for a fact. If so, this means you are all in the midst of a location of powerful spirituality. May this be a blessing to everyone in any way involved. I hear that you are guided by Kjell and that he is a man of great wisdom. Peace go with you all. May goodness flower all along your pathways! Michael

  Kjell Skyllstad's suggestions for our 2014 Chiang Mai conference
• Women's Day: Gender equality - ending domestic violence
•  The ever growing problem of water and land grabbing disregarding traditional land and water rights, including the damming of rivers to the detriment of water flow and fisheries, driving people from their traditional settlements
•  The ever diminishing life space for minorities and refugees
•  The increasing threats to indigenous learning, traditions and culture
•  The gender inequality and ingrained traditions of family violence, male dominance, etc.
•  Our inability to effectively deal with humiliating living conditions in our growing urban sprawls
•  Social Photography for human dignity - Jeffrey Wilson
•  Promoting Land and Water Rights - Association for International Water Studies (FIVAS)
•  Artists Promoting Womens rights Deeyah - Filmshowing
•  Documentary Arts for Human Dignity - Deeyah
• Vanishing memories - Tribal Cultures in Danger - Exposition and talks with tribal elders - Victoria Vorreiter
Earthrights Foundation

  How Restorative Justice can Dignify Society, by John Braithwaite (2015)

  Human Dignity in Sri Lanka, by Amarnath Amarasingam (2015)

  Proposing a '3Cs' Roadmap for a Humane Society, by Dr. Atul Mehrotra, co-authored with Anoop Swarup (2015)