Note: This special web lecture was very interesting and successful. Thank you to the many people who were able to join us in Portland, Oregon (USA) and online for the presentation. We will post the full transcript of the 2-hour event here, as well as shorter, edited segments to share with your Rotary club. The first segment is posted below.

 

The Rotarian Action Group for Peace, The Conflict Resolution Graduate Program at Portland State University and The War Prevention Initiative are pleased to present a special web-lecture featuring peace and conflict studies expert Dr. Julia Chaitin.

The Role of Personal Narratives in Peacebuilding and Peace Obstruction

Youtube video of main lecture with Dr. Chaitin here.

Date: Saturday, 8 November 2014

Time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM (Pacific Daylight Time)

Internet Viewing: Watch a live video stream via this webpage (see below).

Alternate viewing site: www.warpreventioninitiative.org. The event will also be recorded and made available for viewing afterwards on both websites.

Portland, Oregon Venue: Portland State University, Smith Memorial Student Union (1825 SW Broadway, Portland Oregon USA), Room 327-328

For the exact location on campus and nearby parking structures, click here for a campus map.

Doors open at 8:15 AM.  The presentation will begin promptly at 9:00 AM.  Coffee, tea and light breakfast items will be served.

RSVP: Click here to RSVP if you will attend in person.

In this talk, Dr. Chaitin will present a conceptualization of four different kinds of personal narratives of the Holocaust and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, two of which usually hinder peacebuilding efforts between former enemies, and two that have the potential to support peacebuilding and reconciliation if they are undertaken in a supportive group space. She will present four examples from these contexts: two from Jewish-Israelis and two from Palestinians. Finally, she will explore the consequences that the sharing of such narratives can have on autobiographers and others in their society by raising issues that need to be addressed when working with members of ‘enemy’ groups on peacebuilding endeavors.