The John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation (the “JHF Center”) cordially invites you to submit a session presentation proposal for its eleventh annual Reconciliation in America National Virtual Symposium, “Reconciliation and Technology:  Neutral Resources for Social Good.”    As part of the scholarship goal of the Center, the Annual Symposium creates new knowledge in areas of Reconciliation to advance equality, racial justice, and social harmony.  Civic engagement as Reconciliation, our focal point for the Center’s 2020 programs and discussions, unites us as change agents, researchers of effective practices, and peacemakers in the intentional journey of reconciliation.  By convening global scholars and practitioners, the John Hope Franklin Center hopes to promote a dialogue among those who work to bridge societal divides.

 

We invite educators, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, scientists, artists, cultural workers, peacebuilders, students, policy makers, and the community to participate in the JHF Center 2020 Symposium events.  We will consider the ideas and questions presented and immerse ourselves in this vital inquiry of “Reconciliation and Technology: Neutral Resources for Social Good.” 

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SESSION FORMAT

Proposals for concurrent sessions may feature a single presenter, multiple presenters (3 maximum), or a moderated panel discussion. (Time allotment:  50 minutes)

 

The JHF Center encourages sharing ideas and working in dynamic ways.  Session topics will relate to the symposium theme; creativity is encouraged.  All sessions must include interaction among presenters and participants and time for questions and answers.

 

SESSION STRANDS

Session Strands focusing on Reconciliation and Technology through 

• Race/Culture

• Religion/Politics

• Children and Youth

• Reconciliation 101

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Please submit your Symposium Session proposal by Friday, January 3, 2020

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SUBMISSION SCORING

Call for presentation submissions will be reviewed and scored using the following criteria:

• Relevance to conference theme

• Potential interest to audience

• Evidence-based / Best practice guidelines

• Presenter’s experience, credentials, and presentation history

• Completeness and quality of required materials

• Incorporation of audience participation

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PRESENTER REQUIREMENTS

In submitting a proposal, I understand that I am agreeing to the following on behalf of all individuals participating in this presentation:

• Register for the conference by the early-bird deadline; the discounted early-bird price for presenters is $135.00.

• Participate in the conference at the time scheduled by the conference committee.

• Cover travel-related costs, including meals not included with the conference; lodging and airfare are the responsibility of presenter(s).

• Grant permission for the presentation to be recorded (audio and/or video), photographed, and used in social media and other conference related summaries and promotion.

• Submit a copy of presentation and/or a related workshop summary and supporting materials, which will be shared with conference attendees electronically – after the symposium. Materials may also be made available post-conference in PDF format via the JHF Center website.

• Submit all handouts by March 27, 2020

• Present within the time specified for your session, inclusive of time for questions.

 

You will be notified of the Conference Planning Committee’s decision by

Friday, February 3rd.

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WORKING TERMINOLOGY

“Reconciliation” is another term that evokes varied purposes and frameworks, so we offer a starting point for interpretation, click here for an excerpt from the “Position Paper on Reconciliation” shared by the William Winter Institute, noting that reconciliation involved three ideas:

 

1. First, it recognizes that racism in America is both systemic and institutionalized, with far–reaching effects on both political engagement and economic opportunities for minorities.

2. Second, reconciliation is engendered by empowering local communities through relationship- building and truth–telling. Dialogue between individuals and groups that have been historically divided encourages action based on redressing historical wrongs.

3. Lastly, justice is the essential component of the conciliatory process—justice that is best termed as restorative rather than retributive, while still maintaining its vital punitive character.

 

(Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders.)

 

While reconciliation ultimately seeks to restore what Stanley Hauerwas terms the "living tissue of connection that has been cauterized," it does not simply deign to "forgive and forget," eschewing the responsibilities and culpability of both perpetrators of historical wrongs and those who continue to benefit from the cyclical nature of oppression.

 

So while reconciliation is often a dialogue surrounding the issues of race, tangential and inseparable issues surrounding poverty, mental health, gender, age, and a myriad of other systemic inequities rely on the line of human consideration that the topic of reconciliation and race encompass.