PJSA 2020 (virtual) Conference Schedule
September | October | November
Opening Keynote: David Hooker, University of Notre Dame
“Can (Restorative) Justice transform historical harms or dismantle present day systematic (syndemic) oppressions?”
There is an ongoing and long standing debate as to the capacity of restorative justice either philosophically or as a practical matter to effectively address issues of historical harms and present structural racism. There are those who seek to affirm and attest to ways in which restorative justice can indeed address structural racism. Others argue that transformative and some say transitional justice is what is needed to address the inadequacies of restorative justice. I will use the case of widespread torture of Black and brown bodied people at the hands of the Chicago Police Department in the 1970’s, 80’s, and early 90’s, the subsequent passage of a reparations ordinance in 2015 and the current approach to redress being pursued by the Chicago Torture Justice Center to explore these questions.
To See the Recording Click Here.
Panel: “Restorative Justice: The Power of Transformation”
- Cassandra Butler (Saybrook University)
- Gayle Humphrey (Saybrook University)
- Janice Jerome (Saybrook University)
This session will be joined live by the Transformative Social Change Seminar at Saybrook University.
To See the Recording Click Here.
Panel: “Vulnerabilities of Somebodiness in Restorative Justice Theory”
- Greg Moses (Texas State University)
- Sanjay Lal (Clayton State University)
- Anthony Neal (Mississippi State University)
To See the Recording Click Here.
Featured Panel: “The Roots of Our Resistance: Indigenous Peacemaking and the Current Crisis”
International Day of Peace Joint Web Event of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) and PJSA
- Kelli Te Maihāroa (Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association)
- Matt Mogekwu (Africa Peace Research and Education Association)
- Jim Fenelon (Center for Indigenous Peoples Studies, CSUSB & the Latin American Council for Peace Research)
- Adriana Anacona Munoz (Latin American Council on Peace Research)
To See The Recording Click Here
This session will feature two groups co-facilitating an interactive discussion on restorative justice, Covid, and going online with your program.
Discussion Part 1: “Dilemmas of Restorative and Transformative Practices Online”
- Amanda Smith Byron (Portland State University)
- Joy Meeker (Saybrook University)
- Jill Sternburg (Creative Response to Conflict, Restorative Justice Initiative NY)
Discussion Part 2: “Restorative Circles as a Proactive Institutional Conflict Measure”
- Michael Hemphill (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)
- Omari Dyson (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)
- Jeremy Rinker (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)
- Yougsun Lee (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Restorative Justice in indigenous, educational & traditional contexts”
- “Reducing Violence in Schools and Communities – Where Do We Start and How Do We Fix It?” Antoinette Dunstanand, Monica Seeley, and Cindy Morton (Peace Peddlers)
- “Conflict Resolution Education: an Ingredient of Restorative Justice” Ellen Kyes (University of Notre Dame)
- “Guiding student-teacher conflict transformation: student perspective” Gražina Čiuladienė (Mykolas Romeris University)
To See the Recording Click Here.
Panel: “Participatory Action Research with the Restorative Roots Collaborative”
- Rochelle Arms Almengor (John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY)
- William M. Evans (Neighborhood Benches)
- Nicole Lavonne Smith (independent RJ practitioner)
To See the Recording Click Here.
Closing Keynote: Ericka Huggins, “Freedom On the Inside”
One way to restore justice is in a protective and brave circle of human beings. The circle often includes those harmed and those responsible and accountable for harm. This circle is self regulating and is supported by those who are the non-jugging supporters of restorative practice.
These are indigenous practices of North and South American tribal peoples, of the peoples of Africa, and Asia. Reflecting on and sharing responsibility, accountability, and the possibility of forgiveness are positive alternates to punishment and its ensuing multi-generational trauma. Stories heal. I will tell stories of Restorative Justice dialogues, in my life, in community work, in prisons, and in schools. I will speak about healing as the main benefit of restorative practice, one that has positive multi-generational impact.
On Request of the Presenter, we are not making this recording available.
Opening Keynote: Philip Metres, John Carroll University
“Shrapnel Maps: Stories Seeking Peace & Justice in Israel-Palestine”
For nearly twenty years, Philip Metres has been actively engaged in the quest for a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis–as an activist, peacemaker, scholar, teacher, and writer. His fourth book of poems, Shrapnel Maps, writes into the wounds of the Israel-Palestine conflict, raising the voices of Palestinians and Israelis as they confront the predicament of injustice and violence, of empire and resistance. Metres will read from the work and reflect on how storytelling and poetry can offer other ways of engaging seeking justice and peace, through the transformational work of the moral imagination. For more information.
To See The Recording Click Here
Panel: “Telling Other Peoples’ Stories: Navigating Narrative Responsibility”
- Michael English (University of Colorado-Boulder)
- Lisa McLean (George Mason University)
- Alison Castel (Regis University)
To See The Recording Click Here
Panel: “Evolving Narratives: Expanding Imagination and Mobilizing Voices for Change”
- Amanda Smith Byron (Portland State University)
- Roberta Hunte (Portland State University)
- Sally Eck (Portland State University)
On Request of the Presenters, we are not making this recording available.
Keynote: Dr. Sol Neely, Heritage University
“The Trail Where They Cried: Historical Violence, Memory, and Repair Across Generations”
During the fall of 2019, Dr. Sol Neely, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, traveled the Trail of Tears with his father and daughter, meditating on historical violence, transgenerational perseverance, memory, and repair.
To See The Recording Click Here
Panel: “Narrative & Storytelling: From Environmental Loss to Resistance”
- “Visually communicating climate change”, Lea Rekow (Florida Gulf Coast University)
- “Grief, Grit, and Gratitude: Finding resilience in the face of climate change”, Jan Inglis (The Taos Institute)
- “Dams, Boundaries and the Rising Spirit of Reciprocity”, Eileen Delehanty Pearkes (author and activist)
- “Environmental Resistance in the World of Infrastructural Brutalism”, Michael Truscello (Mount Royal University)
- “Border Walls and Bridging Work: Cultivating resilience in spaces of control”, Randall Amster (Georgetown University)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Mythologies of Forgiveness”
- Michelle Collins-Sibley (University of Mount Union)
- Pushpa Iyer (Middlebury Institute of International Studies)
- Wim Laven (Cuyahoga Community College)
To See the Recording Click Here
Keynote: Jamil Al Wekhian, Kent State University
“Understanding Fringe-Right Terrorism–a survivor’s perspective”
In the summer of 2019 Dr. Jamil Al Wekhian was enjoying a family outing when they were targeted in an episode of domestic terrorism. On the evening of Sunday July 28, they were targeted with profane slurs disparaging their skin color, openly mocked for how they were believed to pray, and threatened—“I will bury you all in the river.” A 357 magnum was retrieved, pointed in their direction, and fired over their heads by a man who wanted to scare the family into leaving. This presentation covers the experience of domestic terrorism in the US, the process of healing, the hope for peace and justice in the future, and the scars that remain
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Symbols and Structures: Stories that Move”
- Pat Romano (Dawson College)
- Alison Loader (Dawson College)
- Anick Legault (Dawson College)
- Mark Beauchamp (Dawson College)
- Susan Elmslie (Dawson College)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Storytelling, Scholarship & Activism”
- “Narrative Analysis, Diaspora and Scholar Activism,” Christopher P. Davey (independent scholar)
- “The Confidence Tale and Plotting Nonviolent Fiction,” Gabriel Ertsgaard (independent scholar)
- “Storytelling for Social Change at Cincinnati’s Harriet Beecher Stowe House,” John Getz (Xavier University/Harriet Beecher Stowe House)
To See the Recording Click Here
Discussion: “Polarization in a Time of Misinformation and Political Strife: water, climate, and anergy change”
- Lea Rekow (Florida Gulf Coast University)
- Zoe Roller (US Water Alliance)
- Michael Loadenthal (PJSA/Georgetown University)
To See the Recording Click Here
Keynote: Dave Ragland, The Truth Telling Project
“Truth-Telling in a Time of Polarization”
Followed by Q&A with Dave Ragland and Wim Laven
To See the Recording Click Here
Workshop: “Restorative Circle Process: Polarization and the Election”
- Alison Castel (Regis University)
- Amanda Byron (Portland State University)
To See the Recording Click Here
Workshop: “Understanding Trauma and Trauma Healing Tools for Conflict Resolvers”
- Rachel Goldberg (Depauw University)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Polarization in Liberal Democratic Societies: Ideology, Mechanisms, and Alternative Forms of Resistance”
- Jeffery Warnke (Walsh University)
- Dale Snauwaert (University of Toledo)
- Janet Gerson (International Institute on Peace Education)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Security and Conflict in a Polarized Climate”
- “Sum-Dynamics Theory as a Generalizable Theory of Conflict,” Jameson Lingl (California State University Dominguez Hills)
- “Ideology, Crisis and Division: Shadows of Neo-transdialectic in Modern Political Discourse,” Chris Smithmyer
To See the Recording Click Here
Workshop: “The Value of E-Mediation in High Conflict Disputes,” Christy L. Foley (E-Mediation Services)
-
Christy L. Foley (E-Mediation Services
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Inequities Exposed: Addressing Systemic Injustice in Our Local Communities”
- Nancy Pearson
- PC Walker
- Shayla Betts (Saybrook University)
To See the Recording Click Here
Workshop: “Calling In” vs “Calling Out”
- Elizabeth Franz (Listen First Foundation)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “COVID-19, Authoritarianism and Racism: A Collision of Factors Threatening Humanity”
- Joel Federman (Saybrook University)
- Theopia Jackson (Saybrook University)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Reframing for More Constructive Outcomes”
- “Reframing Reality for the Coronavirus, Job Loss & Needed Racial Justice Age: Implications for Peace Studies and Different Aspects of Peace,” Linda Groff (California State University)
- “Stigma as a Type of Violence,” Aniuska Luna (Citrus Health Network)
To See the Recording Click Here
Storytelling: “Storytelling! Grumpy old women, turtles, frogs, locusts, and other unlikely heroes”
Join storyteller Louise Omoto Kessel for a live storytelling performance that will be enjoyed by adults and young people alike. Louise will offer traditional and contemporary stories selected to encourage us on our path of working for peace and justice. Grumpy old women, turtles, frogs, locusts, and other unlikely heroes model for us how to keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep it positive, keep the faith, and join together to be heard! (Facilitated by Swasti Bhattacharyya)
To See the Recording Click Here
Panel: “Constructive Stories in Response to Polarization”
-
Chip Hauss (Alliance for Peacebuilding)
-
Abby Rapoport (Stranger’s Guide)
-
Kate Mytty (Build Peace)
-
Toni Farris (George Mason University)
-
Tim Ries (Touring saxophonist, The Rolling Stones)
To See the Recording Click Here
Closing Keynote: Brandon Brown, “Many Sides of Silence: Polarized Narratives as Blockades to Justice and Healing”
“You have the right to remain silent,” a statement, made to thousands of people placed under arrest every day in the United States, signifies the beginning of a process where diametrically opposed narratives will, more than likely, take hold. On the one hand, silence is meant to protect the possible offender yet can have deafening consequences for a victim who seeks to make sense of a harm they endured. On the other hand, silence can be a mechanism of oppression and dehumanization for people in prison, those reintegrating back into society, or those in various marginalized communities. Drawing on my experience of being incarcerated for over a decade, alongside the privilege of conducting ethnographic research inside of a maximum-security prison, I will share my findings of the various ways that silence polarizes narratives to the detriment of justice, and offer the “violence of silence” as an overarching symptom of the conflict of mass incarceration in the U.S.