Dearest Dosts,
I want to share the report of the 15th Annual Conference of Human Dignity & Humiliation Studies with you:15th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, “Peace at Home, Peace in the World was held on” 28th - 30th April 2010, at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies (HumanDHS, www.humiliationstudies.org), a global transdisciplinary fellowship of concerned academics and practitioners who wish to promote dignity and transcend humiliation. We wish to stimulate systemic change, globally and locally, to open space for mutual respect and esteem to take root and grow, thus ending humiliating practices and breaking cycles of humiliation throughout the world. We are currently around 1,000 personally invited members, and our website is being accessed by between 20,000 and 40,000 people from 160 to 180 countries per year.
During the closed part of the event, which was on 28 and 29th April, the "frame of appreciative enquiry" was used as the main vehicle for beginning the conference dialogue. Guests coming from different countries shared their views and created some solutions for the issues they worked on. The conference’s Public Event found place on 30th April 2010, in the Albert Long Hall/BTS & BTS Fuaye. This event was open to everybody who is interested in the topic and entrance was free. The Public Event featured speakers from Turkey who spoke to topics related to dignity and humiliation, and the President and the Director of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies.
They were as follows:
Appreciative Enquiry and Humiliation, by Linda Hartling, Ph.D., Director, HumanDHS; Former Associate Director, Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, Wellesley College, Boston, USA.
Introduction of the whole guests, by Evelin Lindner, Founding Director and President of HumanDHS.
Education as a Vehicle for Social Transformation: How to Promote Dignity, Unity and Transcend Humiliation, by Vineeta Kamran, Principle of the City Montessori School, Kanpur Road Branch, Lucknow, India
The Role of Dignity and Humiliation for Refugee Law, by Paresh Kathrani, Director, Centre for Global Morality, is currently undertaking his PhD in Refugee Law and Philosophy at the School of Law, Kings College, London
Disability, Dignity, and Humiliation, by Ramazan Baş, President of the Spinal Cord Paralytics Society of Turkey (SCPST), an NGO whose work is related to the wellness and empowerment of the disabled.
Human Rights of Women, by Nazan Moroğlu, author of Human Rights Treaty of Women. She is the general coordinator of the Istanbul Women Associations Unity. She is also giving the course: Women Law” at Yeditepe University, Law school.
The Meaning of “Peace at Home, Peace in the World" by Hayal Köksal, Ph.D., Member of the HumanDHS Global Advisory Board, and the HumanDHS Education Team.
From Shock to Awe: From Humiliation to Dignity, by Evelin Lindner, Founding Director and President of HumanDHS.
A Peace Exhibition in the lobby painted by the world children and designed by the famous Turkish Sculpture Füge Demirok was also opened during the event. http://www.hayalkoksal.com/V1/index.php
28th-29th APRIL: THE CLOSED PART OF THE CONFERENCE
Linda Hartling points out that in the meetings of HumanDHS, the aim is 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 meetings, 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" (Jean Baker Miller), which means practicing profound 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 drain 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. It should be noted that participation in the program is by personal invitation only, except for our public events, in which everybody who is interested is welcome. The closed parts of our programs have limited enrollment. We like to get to know our participants prior to issuing an invitation to our workshops and conferences.
Day 1, 28th AprilThe number of participants was around 40. Kadri Özçaldıran, Rector of Boğaziçi University welcomed everybody. Then, Hayal Köksal and Linda Hartling welcomed everybody to the closed part of our conference and explained our appreciative frame.
Linda keeps our workshops together with her continuous caring interventions and her wisdom carries our conferences through crucial moments. Linda selected the following Turkish proverbs for our conference:
1. This proverb is to recognize the importance of collaboration: "Baş başa vermeyince taş yerinden kalkmaz." Literal translation: "The stone will not move from its place, unless you cooperate," meaning "Hard tasks can be accomplished by collaboration." See also "Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var."
2. This proverb is about understanding when we make mistakes: "Hatasız Kul Olmaz." Literal translation: "Flawless human is impossible," meaning: "Nobody is perfect."
After the participants presented themselves, a musical contribution by Gülcan Yeten and her friends was presented. She played Bağlama (a Turkish musical instrument with three double strings played with a plectrum) and presented some ethnical music from the Northern Anatolia region.
During the Introductory presentation: “Who We Are” and “Our Latest News” were shared.
Our Open Space Sessions are usually launched by Linda M. Hartling. It emerged from the observation that the coffee breaks are often the most productive parts of conferences. We, as HumanDHS team, draw on the Open Space idea and adapt it to dignify our conferences. Open Space process involves collobratively developing the programme of the conference on the first day. In order to make this process smooth, we depend on the kind understanding, support, and flexibility of all conference contributors and participants as we co-creatively collect the topics for our Open Sessions and make the programme for the rest of our conference. During the first day, two sessions were held:
How Can We Realize "Peace at Home, Peace in the World?" by Hayal Köksal
Advancing Dignity in Schools by Yoav Peck and Avi Shahaf
After the Closing Comments, guests moved to Gala Dinner at Vakıftepe, İTÜ which was supported by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Association Turkey Office. We extend a very warm thank you!
Day Two, 29th April 2010 The second day started with the talk of Kailash Tuli, Professor, Ph.D. in Psychology, Gestalt therapist, New Delhi, India. His talk was on: Humiliation in the Indian Context: Effectiveness of Zeitgeist to Inculcate Human Dignity . Two issues of the Open Space sessions were:
Crafting Gentleness: Dynamics of Enclosure and the Transformation of Humiliation, by Anthony McCann, Ireland.
Advancing Dignity via the OLPC Project, by Ulrich Spalthoff, Germany.
The musical contribution of the day belonged to the masters students Özge Solar, Nil Koroglu, and Aslıhan And of the "Flute" section of the "Conservatory of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University" . We thank them and their instructor Assistant Professor Ayla Uludere for her wonderful support!
Open Space Session 3 hosted two leaders:
Transgenerational Legacies of Collective Violence. Observations from Germany by Uta Ottmüller, Germany.
Social Displacement by Maggie O'Neill, UK and Moira Rogers USA.
Three other topics were also shared by;
Ardian Adžanela: Human Dignity and Humiliation in Post-conflict Transitional Societies: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Salman Türken: Ideology as Common Sense and Humiliation in Intergroup Relations,
Merle Lefkoff: Knocking the Buzzard off the Manure Spreader.
Guests participated in a Bosphorus Boat trip with fish and bread, supported by the Sarıyer City Council. We extend our warmest thanks!
30th APRIL: THE PUBLIC EVENT OF THE CONFERENCEThe final day of the Conference was open to the public. Turkish interpretation was available and the participation was free, however the number of the guests was low. Nearly 100 people participated in the event. After the opening talks, given by Hayal Köksal, Linda Hartling, Evelin Lindner and Füge Demirok the first session included four foreign speakers:
1. From Humiliation to Human Dignity: Toward a Science of Right Relationships was presented by Linda M. Hartling, Ph.D., Director, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies; Former Associate Director, Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College.
Linda used Relational-Cultural Theory as a foundation for describing a relational analysis of the experience of humiliation. The latest research in neuroscience suggests that relationships are central to human development. Humiliation can have a profoundly destructive impact on the relationships we need to survive and thrive. Referencing studies on social exclusion, Linda proposed that humiliation leads to social pain, which leads to decreased self-awareness, which leads to decreased self-regulation and increased self-defeating behavior, all of which increases the risk that a person will engage in violence. The work of HumanDHS is largely about healing and transforming relationships, especially when relationships lead to violence. The HumanDHS network is dedicated to building “right relationships,” relationships that support the dignity and development of all people involved.
Vineeta Kamran, the Principle of the City Montessori School, Kanpur Road Branch, Lucknow, India, was the second speaker. Her topic was: Education as a Vehicle for Social Transformation: How to Promote Dignity, Unity and Transcend Humiliation.
Paresh Kathrani, Director, Centre for Global Morality, is currently undertaking his PhD in Refugee Law and Philosophy at the School of Law, Kings College, London, pointing out the importance of “The Role of Dignity and Humiliation for Refugee Law”, he on: Inside or Outside - Asylum Seekers on the Periphery of Borders.
Evelin G. Lindner, Founding Director and President of HumanDHS, started by Presenting the Participants of our 15th Conference to our Turkish Audience. She invited all the guests to respond to this question: “When do they feel themselves somebody”.
During the tea break, the group enjoyed the opening of a Peace Exhibition in the lobby painted by the world children during the “11th ICSQCC” in Istanbul in 2008 and the “12th ICSQCC” in Lucknow in 2009. World famous Turkish sculpture Füge Demirok had also placed five of her works of art to the Exhibition and had done the design of it. After the tea break; guests felt happy with the wonderful contribution by opera singers from the Cultural and Collaborative Society of Artists and Art-Lovers (SANSEV). The director was: Nursel Öncül, Soprano: Nalan Bilen, Piano: Burcu Savaşman and Mahmut Kelpetin. A very warm thank you!
The second session featured Turkish speakers. The first speaker was Ramazan Baş, President of the Spinal Cord Paralytics Society of Turkey (TOFD/SCPST). He talked about: Disability, Dignity, and Humiliation. He mentioned about the activities of his NGO and also as a journalist who interviewed with Evelin Lindner, Hayal Köksal and Brigitte Wolz, a therapist from Germany who works with children who have developmental delays.
Nazan Moroğlu, talked about “Women’s Human Rights in Turkey”. She is the author of Human Rights Treaty of Women. She is the general coordinator of the Istanbul Women Associations Unity. She is also giving the course: Women Law” at Yeditepe University, Law school.
Hayal Köksal, talked about the “Human dignity through “Peace at Home, Peace in the World”. She is the convener and the Turkish Founder of the “WCTQEE-CMS-QOMER Initiative for Peace Education.” She is the advisor and ex-coordinator of the Innovative Teachers Program of Microsoft Turkey, and consultant of Educational Quality, Leadership and Project Management. In her talk, she talked about building bridges between courses, between groups of people, between countries and also continents on the way of realizing peace in the world.
Evelin G. Lindner, Founding Director and President of HumanDHS, gave the last speech titled as;
From Shock to Awe: From Humiliation to Dignity. Her talk briefly explained the overall aim of the HumanDHS work. It then highlighted how globalization is interlinked with new and unprecedented psychological dynamics that call for novel solutions at all levels - macro, meso and micro levels - and in all fields of public policy. After the closing of the event, guests took a Covered Bazaar Tour and Galata Tower Dinner. The Istanbul Conference of the guests ended with a wonderful City Tour on 1st May.
SOME FINAL REMARKS…I had accepted to be the convener of such a challenging event four years ago. During those years, I tried hard to pave the way of organizing it. I had gotten the responsibility of such a challenging event with such an unusual topic not only for my country but also for many. I chose the motto: “Peace at Home, peace in the World” deliberately, for among the many conflicting issues Türkiye has been preserving its place as a bridge between the east and the west between the oriental world and the western world. The feedback coming from the dearest guests, prove that we realized the expected outcomes.
How happy we are! I am grateful to all İmece partners (Bogazici University and Peace Education Center /BUPERC, Sü Ge Der, Kalbe-Mer and the Turkish Center for Schools of Quality) and main supporter (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Association Turkey Office). With their great support we realized our dream. I am also thankful to my dearest students from SCED who hosted our guests well and thus they have learned a lot. I thank to Sarıyer City Council_ especially Adnan Ayber for the Boat Tour. The bağlama player one of my innovative teachers_ Gülcan Yeten and her team, San-Sev and the Flute Masters of the Conservatory of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University’ added wonderful music notes into our event. Kuru Kahveci Mehmet Effendi and Boğaziçi Catering added taste of the Turkish cusine. Posters to inform the participants were prepared by Doğan Advertising. Klas Tour realized safe and qualified transportation, and Fora Tourism, with Murat shared the spectacular sights of Istanbul with our guests. Without the great support of Evelin and Linda and also all our guests and speakers, that Conference would not leave such incredible memories in our hearts and brains. We know and believe: TOGETHER WE STAND!
You might see the list from the webpage: www.humiliationstudies.org and http://www.hayalkoksal.com/V1/index.php .
