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IDEAS, NEWS AND RESOURCES | January 2018
We hope you enjoy receiving our newsletter which includes constructionist ideas and practices as well as news and resources from the Taos Institute.
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Brief Encounters with The Taos Institute
January 2018
This month Kenneth J. Gergen, Taos Institute co-founder and board president, shares with us his reflections on our happenings in 2017 and what we are looking forward to in 2018...
Reflecting and Energizing
as We Enter the New Year
As we enter a New Year it is time to reflect on the roads we have traveled, and their coming directions. The past year has rippled with political and societal challenges. As a non-profit educational organization working at the intersection of social constructionist theory and professional practices, these challenges are foremost in mind. So much of our work is dedicated to generating ideas and practices that can enrich the quality of relationships, locally and globally. How can we build bridges among people, enhance collaboration, locate synergies and energize the co-creative process - in education, organizations, caring professions, peace-building and more. Hundreds of our associates and friends have contributed generously to this year's globe-spanning activities, and should be justly proud. Here I share some of their accomplishments this year and some plans for 2018.
Face to face gatherings are essential for sharing, creating, and
preparing
for action. Energies were indeed high for the over 400 who took part in the Third International Conference on Collaborative-Dialogic Practices, in Tenerife, Spain. Special appreciation here to Barcelona Associate Josep Segui as conference organizer. Two more lively international meetings took place, both in Denmark. In November, Taos joined with Absalon University in Denmark and Youth Invest in Norway to offer a conference on collaborative practices in education for "children and youth on the edge." We are deeply indebted here to Associate Karsten Mellon for his organizing talents. We also collaborated with the Mannaz consulting firm to offer a Summer Institute on leadership in turbulent times. Special gratitude this year goes to our Chinese colleagues who formed a satellite organization, Taos China. The kickoff meetings at Nanjing Normal University featured contributions from over 30 scholars and practitioners. Associate Xinping Zhang of Nanjing Normal University spearheaded the event and is its first president.
The coming year is exciting as well. In June we will collaborate with the Danish consulting group Joint Action for a conference on Relational Welfare. Then in November (8-11) we are thrilled in offering the
Taos 25th Anniversary jubilee conference
, in Cancun, Mexico. We welcome all to come, celebrate, share and learn.
For this New Year, applications are now being accepted for a new on-line
Master's degree program in Collaborative and Dialogic Practices.
Three new programs may be added to the International Certificate in Collaborative-Dialogic Practices. New on-line certificate courses will be mounted. And the Professional Diploma program in Social Construction and Professional Practices will hit its stride.
In fostering global relations, we have been especially pleased with the work of our publishing wing. Our WorldShare Books series offers books free for downloading. This series added 12 new books this year, on topics such as education, therapy, organization, peace-building, and more. WorldShare books now appear in 13 languages. However, with special thanks to Associate Edgar Noumair, we were able to offer three works translated in Arabic - our first books for Middle East readers. Four new soft cover books were also published, two on the Coordinated Management of Meaning and two devoted to enriching the aging process.
The International Journal of Collaborative and Dialogic Practices
continues to grow, and the Positive Aging Newsletter published its 100th edition. These publications are available free on line.
We invite the continued participation of all of you, from around the world. We look for new and creative ways of expanding our mission, and value partnerships in the quest for enhancing the relational conditions of the world. We are all in this together, and together we can make a difference.
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Taos Institute Events and Gatherings
The Many Ways to Get Involved.....
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The Taos Institute Silver Jubilee
25 Years of Innovation in Social Construction
November 8 - 11, 2018
(Pre-conference Nov. 7-8)
Cancun, Mexico
At the Fiesta Americana Resort
and Conference Center
We are very excited about this event marking our 25th anniversary since the founding of the Taos Institute. Save the date and plan to join us as we celebrate The Taos Institute's 25th Anniversary. This special conference will highlight the theories and practices of social construction over the past 25 years, as well as explore what the future may hold.
We hope you will join us and bring along with you someone new to social construction and relational practice - student, colleague, co-worker, friend! Let's co-create the future and engage with the next generation!
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Taos Workshops
- Designing Crazy Patchworks: Co-creating Collaborative Research, with Celiane Borges, Jasmina Sermijn
Taos Online Courses
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Practical Tips for Writing Your Dissertation - with Rich Furman.
Friends of the Taos Institute Workshops and Events
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Communication, Collaboration and Relationships: Constructive Innovations in Organizations
An international Social Constructionist Conference in The Faroe Islands
- Social Therapeutics @ the Grassroots and and in the Academy: A 12-Week Developmental Challenge
- Mad in America: Where Can We Go From Here? An Online Revolutionary Conversation with Lois Holzman and Robert Whitaker
- Summer Institute, with Harlene Anderson and Sylvia London An Experiential Learning Community in Postmodern / Social Construction Collaborative-Dialogic Practices across Cultures, Contexts & Disciplines
- Appreciative Inquiry Community Jam! Early registration open.
- The Tenth Performing the World (PTW) Conference
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A Week in Dialogue with the Authors
February 5 - 9, 2018
When Stories Clash: Addressing Conflict with Narrative Mediation
By Gerald Monk and John Winslade
Join John Winslade for a
"Week in Dialogue with the Author" as he engages with us exploring the book and the rich resource it holds for dealing with conflict. Everyone will find something useful in this online dialogue. We will culminate the week of online dialogue and conversation with a live webinar and conversation with John on Friday at 12:00 noon US Eastern time.
**use discount code
TaosWSC10% at checkout to receive a 10% discount when you buy the book.
The Week: Monday, February 5 through Friday, February 9. Monday through Thursday is a virtual conversation, in our online learning community website. Join when you can, as often as you can, and join in the discussion. Then, on Friday, plan to join the live webinar with John Winslade to explore further the ideas and practices outlined in the book and expand on the conversations taking place earlier in the week online.
Who can join: Free and open to anyone in the world interested in this topic. It is great to have people from around the globe join us in these conversations. The more the merrier. You will be asked to "join" the online community website to participate during the week.
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International Relational Research Network Meeting and Global Dialogues
The Winter Article Reading
and Discussion Series Continues...
The Article Series continues as we offer an opportunity, for anyone interested, to read a scholarly article or chapter on research, and then join in a conversation about that article. This article reading series is open to everyone. No need to pre-register. Free and open to the public.
For anyone interested, join in a conversation about these articles:
Thursday, January 25, at 2:00 - 3:00 PM US Eastern/New York time
Host: Monica Sesma and Joaquin Gaete
Title: Research as Daily Practice
Language: Spanish
Article: St. George, S., Wulff, D., & Tomm, K. (2015). Research as daily practice. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 34(2), 3-14. (This article is not available in Spanish at this time. Read the English version)
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Friday, February 2, at 1:00 - 2:30 PM US Eastern/New York time
Host: Rocio Chaveste with Mary Gergen
Title: Steps Toward a Performative Social Science
Article: Gergen, Mary, (2017) Steps Toward a Performative Social Science. Unpublished manuscript. Read article prior to the conversation.
Details: For all the information including host, article, date and time of the conversation and link to join the conversation please visit the Taos Institute website at:
How to join in the article series conversations:
- Visit and then download the articles at www.taosinstitute.net/relational-research-network
- Read the article
- Come prepared with questions, examples, comments
- Mark your calendar and arrive on time for the conversation
- No need to pre-register for these
- Use the zoom link provided on that web page to join the call
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The 50 Most Influential Living Psychologists in the World
From the website called "The Best Schools.org" we share the article...
. The 50 Most Influential Living Psychologists in the World.
Our own Taos Institute co-founder and board president, Kenneth J. Gergen is among these most influential living psychologists in the World. Congratulations to Ken.
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by Harlene Anderson
Grace Lynn Hoffman, Honorary Taos Associate, and a practitioner and author with endless vision, curiosity and wonderment, died at the age of 93. Most notable as a chronicler and visionary of family therapy, to her days ends and with keen mind and spirit, she gifted practitioners and theorists with her significant contributions to the development of family therapy and its influential contributions to the broader social science community. She was a colleague and studier of many seminal thinkers and later contributors to relational--systemic, social construction, and postmodern--informed practices.
Lynn was an author and word artist who carefully handcrafted her books and articles. In her engaging, eloquent yet flowing and simple storytelling style she documented and distilled complex concepts into smaller understandable ones, weaving in and illustrating her text through her own firsthand experiences.
Lynn inspired others, noticed their potential, encouraged confidence, all toward helping them bring out the best in themselves. In remembering Lynn, The Taos Institute Board of Directors express our gratitude for her being part of our community and being touched by her presence. Lynn Hoffman's wisdom and vitality will continue to inspire and live on in the many resources she left.
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Announcing the New Taos China
The grand opening of the new 'Taos China' took place on Oct. 12. It was quite a spectacle, as opening speeches included those of the Vice President of Nanjing Normal University, with 150 people in attendance.
In the remarks of the Vice President, he notes that the work of Taos China will "carry out research that will expand and enrich the field of the Taos Institute, to get social constructionism rooted in China...and deepen academic research and practice based on social constructionism in China. With the guidance of the theory we can solve many problems and serve the social development of China."
Xinping Zhang, a devoted and enthusiastic Taos Associate, will head up the organization, and said in his speech, that the organization will "do its best to support the development of the Taos Institute and the promotion of social constructionism in China."
To contact Xinping Zhang, email: xpzhang2908@gmail.com
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It is our special pleasure to announce The Taos Institute's first publication of books in the Arabic language.
WorldShare Books includes publications in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, and even Farci. But at long last we have opened a significant channel of communication with the Arab World.
We express our enormous appreciation to Edgar Noumair for his dedicated work to this project. It is though his efforts and the support of the Anath Foundation, that we now have posted on the web
translations of three key books:
- Appreciative inquiry: Positive approaches to building cooperative capacity (Barrett and Fry)
- Mapping dialogue: Essential tools for social change (Bojer, Roehl, et.al.)
- Social Construction: Entering the Dialogue (Gergen and Gergen)
Donate to the Peggy Penn WorldShare Books Fund
This fund helps to cover the expenses of offering these online books free of charge to anyone in the world.
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Check out our Newest Books:
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Paths to Positive Aging: Dog Days with a Bone and Other Essays
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by Mary and Ken Gergen
Mary and Ken Gergen are devoted to the cause of reinventing aging. To focus on the gains of aging is to realize that the later years are among the richest and most rewarding of one's life. In their dedication to this reconstruction, the Gergens publish the Positive Aging Newsletter, an electronic newsletter, available in seven languages (
www.positiveaging.net).
In this book, the Gergens share ideas and experiences designed to inspire others as they age.
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Communicating Possibilities:
A Brief Introduction to the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM)
by Ilene Wasserman and Beth Fisher-Yoshida
Communicating Possibilities is an introduction to the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), a practical theory which at its roots, is an approach to looking at our social interactions. In the process of stepping back to look at our interactions and how we construct our social worlds, we open possibilities of alternative paths and outcomes. CMM offers tools and frameworks to use so when we pause and notice what we are making together and how, we open up spaces to make better choices with more desirable relationships each turn of the way.
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Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): A Research Manual
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by Natasha A Rascon and Stephen Littlejohn
Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): A Research Manual invites those who are interested, intrigued, or invested in CMM to explore the theory as method. Through conversations, Rascon and Littlejohn discussed the many research possibilities and created a manual that offers several frameworks for practical research. The manual provides contexts for applying CMM tools and models as well as many examples from researchers and professionals. Those who have been introduced to CMM and are interested in discovering possibilities for their research and practical interests at any level should enjoy the offerings of this book.
For more information
→
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By focusing on the positive aspects of aging, and the availability of resources, skills, and resiliencies, research not only brings useful insights into the realm of practice but creates hope and empowers action among older people. By moving beyond practices of repair and prevention, to emphasize growth-enhancing activities, practitioners also contribute more effectively to the societal reconstruction of aging.
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Join the Taos Institute NING Online Community website
Participate in online conversations, share resources, ask questions, connect with others doing similar work. Also, we feature special events on this community website.
Join in many different forums, groups and conversations:
1. Taos Institute Europe
2. Collaborative Governance
3. Relational Learning
4. Relational Research
5. Taos Latin America
6. Intergenerativity and Innovation
and many more at:
http://taoslearning.ning.com/
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Welcome (Bienvenidos) to the International Journal of Collaborative Practices. The Journal brings together members of a growing international community of practitioners, scholars, educators, researchers, and consultants interested in postmodern collaborative practices.
Sponsored by Taos Institute and Houston Galveston Institute
I
ssue 7- Available Now in English and Spanish -
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You can help to make a difference...
These are challenging times, and you can make a difference by supporting the Taos Institute's efforts to bring about more promising futures.
Help us to continue our work in:
- Creating and Expanding Collaborative Practices Globally
- Promoting Dialogic Means for Reducing Conflict
- Providing Degree Opportunities for Practitioners
- Offering Cutting Edge Publications in Multiple Languages: Free or at Low Cost
- Generating Resources for Positive Aging
- Creating Global Forms and Conferences for Constructing New Futures
Given the perilous global context into which we are moving, we feel the work in which we are engaged is more important than ever. We hope you can join with us as we continue to develop resources to aid the global community in co-creating more viable futures.
The Taos Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible in the US.
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The Taos Institute's mission is to bring together scholars and practitioners concerned with the social processes essential for the construction of reason, knowledge, and human value.
We are committed to exploring, developing and disseminating ideas and practices that promote creative, appreciative and collaborative processes in families, communities and organizations around the world through a social constructionist lens.
We look forward to your participation in the dialogue.
Keep up with our updates!
Dawn Dole, Executive Director
The Taos Institute
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