Concerned Philosophers for Peace Conference
Sponsored by the Manchester College Peace Studies Institute and the Department of Religion and Philosophy.
Theme: Nonviolence: Critiquing Assumptions, Examining Frameworks
Date: November 1-4, 2007
Location: Manchester College, North Manchester, IN
[Download the Registration Form (.pdf file)] [Click for Conference Schedule]
Many judgments regarding what is good or bad, possible or impossible, rely upon unspoken assumptions or frameworks which are used to view and evaluate events and actions. Philosophers uncover these hidden aspects of thoughts and judgments, scrutinizing them for soundness, validity, and fairness.
These assumptions and frameworks permeate the topics of violence, nonviolence, war, conflict, and reconciliation; and they influence how we address these problems and issues. This conference encourages philosophers to reflect upon these assumptions and frameworks and their effects, both in the abstract and in the concrete, and to share their insights with us.
• How do our current assumptions and frameworks regarding the Middle East shape our concepts of the prospects of war and peace in these areas?
• How do our assumptions and frameworks regarding poverty, wealth, race, and economy influence our understanding of the prospects for poverty eradication in North America, Africa or Latin America?
• What guiding assumptions and frameworks have led many Americans to trust military buildup, and even the use of torture, to defend the nation during the "war on terror"? What are the problems with such assumptions and frameworks? Would a different framework provide a better way of securing peace in America?
• Is peace possible? If so, how? If not, why not? Is human nature such that negative and/or positive peace is improbable if not impossible? Does national security and nation-state autonomy demand a warfare State? Does economic inequality make violence or the threat of violence inevitable?
• What kind of assumptions and frameworks would be needed in order for people to see nonviolence as a sensible approach to current day problems?
This call for examining assumptions can be used to either defend or challenge nonviolence as a guiding principle for relationships.
• Presidential Address by Barry Gan — Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Nonviolence (St. Bonaventure University); editor of The Acorn: Journal of the Gandhi-King Society and co-editor of Peace and Change: A Journal of Peace Research (journal of the Peace History Society and the Peace and Justice Studies Association). [read more]
• Plenary Sessions with ...
David Cortright — Research Fellow and Adjunct Professor (Kroc Institute for International Peace, University of Notre Dame); President, Fourth Freedom Forum; former Director of Peace Action; author of Gandhi and Beyond: Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism (Paradigm Publ., 2006) and, with Howard Zinn, Soldiers In Revolt: GI Resistance During The Vietnam War (Haymarket Books, 2006). [read more]
Barbara Wien — Director, Peace Brigades International; formerly with the U.S. Institute of Peace; Executive Director, Consortium on Peace Research, Education, and Development (COPRED). [read more].
Mary King — Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies (University of Peace); Associate of the Einstein Institute; author of A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifida and Nonviolent Resistance, introduction by Jimmy Carter (Nation Books, 2007). [read more]
• Workshop on Peace Journalism: Tom Hastings — Department of Coflict Resolution (Portland State University); author of Lessons of Nonviolence: Theory and Practice in an Age of Conflict (2006) and Power: Nonviolent Transformation from Transpersonal to Transnational (2005). [read more]
• Presentation of Howard Zinn’s Marx in Soho, performed by Robert Weick (Nov. 2, Friday evening — 7 p.m. — Wine Recital Hall). [read more]
• Open Forum on Teaching Techniques.
• Panel Discussion on Religion and Peacemaking.
• Contemplative, nonviolent environs.
Transportation to North Manchester
Manchester College is located in North Manchester, Indiana, about 35 miles west of Fort Wayne and 100 miles north of Indianapolis.
By air:
Fort Wayne, IN (35 miles) Airport code: FWA
South Bend, IN (76 miles) Airport code: SBN
Indianapolis, IN (115 miles) Airport code: IND
Chicago Midway (147 miles) Airport code: MDW
Chicago O’Hare (160 miles) Airport code: ORD
Free shuttles will be arranged from the airport in Fort Wayne to Manchester College. Two shuttles will run to Manchester College (one Thursday late afternoon, one Thursday evening). Shuttles will be offered to the Fort Wayne airport on Sunday after the morning conference sessions. Contact Katy Gray Brown (klgraybrown@manchester.edu) if you wish to use these shuttles.
Rental cars are available at all airports. If you are planning on renting a car and are willing to offer space for others, we encourage you to post a message on the CPP listserve (cpp@lists.sbu.edu). Note: In order to post a message, you must be a subscriber to the CPP listserver. You may subscribe to the list by sending a message to listserv@lists.sbu.edu and typing in the body of the message the words "subscribe cpp" followed by your first and last name. You will then be sent an e-mail with instructions on how to confirm your request.
Other than limited on-campus rooms, motel accommodations are not within convenient walking distance from the conference. We will help to arrange local car pools for conference participants at the beginning and end of each day, if necessary.
Free parking will be available for conference participants.
Facilities and services at Manchester College
The campus cafeteria and snack bar will be open for those who wish to eat on campus. Local restaurant information will be available upon conference arrival.
All conference activities will be in fully accessible buildings. If there are other ability accommodations that you would like, we will work to make arrangements for you. With advance notice, we will facilitate child care arrangements for those bringing children to the conference. Please contact Katy Gray Brown (klgraybrown@manchester.edu) as soon as possible with your requests.
Lodging in North Manchester
The Treeway Inn
(3 miles from Manchester College)
1601 St. Rd. 114 West, North Manchester, IN 46962
Toll free: 1-877-982-9090
$60 + tax single, $64 + tax double; request conference rate.
Fruitt Basket Inn – bed & breakfast
(1.2 miles from Manchester College)
116 W. Main Street, North Manchester, IN 46962
260-982-2443
4 rooms available on the second floor of 100 year old Victorian home. Breakfast included. Suite for $100/night: 2 rooms (one king-sized bed, one full-sized bed) with shared bath 2 rooms for $75/night each: (king-sized beds and private baths)
The Hospitality House - historic bed and breakfast
(1 mile to campus)
202 N. Walnut Street, North Manchester, IN 46962
contact: Jennifer Pattison
telephone: 260-454-0720
jeneckpat@hotmail.com or hospitalityhousebb@hotmail.com
4 distinctive rooms in Victorian hotel. Private baths, queen-sized beds, internet access, full breakfast. $75/night
On-campus dormitory housing
A limited number of rooms are available in the campus dormitories. Each room has two single beds and shares a communal washroom with the floor.
East Hall – rooms for women (6 rooms)
Schwalm Hall – rooms for men (9 rooms)
$27.75 per night (per person), includes taxes, linens & towels.
Contact Katy Gray Brown at klgraybrown@manchester.edu or 260-982-5343.
Home stays for students/low-income participants
We hope to arrange lodging (a range of guest rooms, spare futons, and floor space) for those who wish. Please contact Katy Gray Brown at klgraybrown@manchester.edu or 260-982-5343 by October 15th if you would like free lodging.
Lodging near North Manchester
Huntington is just south of the route between North Manchester and the Fort Wayne airport. Warsaw lies north of North Manchester, away from the Fort Wayne airport.
Holiday Inn Express Huntington
(19.5 miles from Manchester College)
2205 N. Jefferson Street, Huntington, IN 46750
260-356-3434/1-888-465-4329
$79-$89 + tax/night
Super 8 Motel Huntington
(19 miles from Manchester College)
2801 Guilford Street (US 24 and Hwy 9), Huntington, IN 46750
260-358-8888
$54.00 + tax/night (request Manchester College conference rate)
Ramada Plaza Warsaw
(20 miles from Manchester College)
2519 E Center Street ( US 30 and Center St), Warsaw, IN 46580 US
Phone: 574-269-2323
$74.00 + tax (king or two doubles). Request the Manchester College rate when booking.
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