IDEAS, NEWS AND RESOURCES | October 2020
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, and their application in relational, collaborative and appreciative practices around the world.
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The Many Ways to Get Involved
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A Special Tribute to Mary Gergen
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"Mary’s connection with all aspects of our lives – the need to play, to relax, to work hard, to engage in serious conversation, and more – opened avenues for connections that were endless."
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"She creatively found ways to put constructionist ideas into vignettes that mirrored everyday life."
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A Celebration of Mary Gergen
By Sheila McNamee, PhD, Taos Institute board member,
Vice-President, and co-founder; Professor, University of New Hampshire
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It is with heavy hearts, deep gratitude, and overflowing love that we share the sad news that Mary Gergen passed away on the morning of September 22, 2020.
We all knew Mary as a lively, courageous, and innovative trail blazer. With Ken, Mary created a global community — a family of caring, committed scholars and practitioners whose central desire is to make the world a better place for all. And, the world is a better place for her presence in it and her connection to us all.
As I sit at my desk, two weeks after Mary’s death, I am filled with many memories, many emotions, and many thoughts. My spirit is simultaneously heavy and light: heavy with the sense of loss but light with the gratitude for Mary’s presence in my life. While it is difficult to imagine today, tomorrow, and the future without her lively spirit and creative intellect, I know that her presence remains in so many ways.
For those of you who have attended Taos conferences or workshops, you can thank Mary for the elegant touches, the special attention to food, drink, music, and other human pleasures. Mary’s connection with all aspects of our lives – the need to play, to relax, to work hard, to engage in serious conversation, and more – opened avenues for connections that were endless. I know that most who have attended a Taos conference always felt warmly welcomed. That warm welcome is in many ways due to Mary’s curiosity. She loved meeting others and quizzing them on their lives, their work, their ideas. She never shied away from letting you know what she thought – in this regard, I always thought of Mary as my “big sister” (“Do you really want to wear that?"). Mary always thought out loud. She invited us into her conversation, embodying the co-constructive nature of our worlds.
As a central figure in what we might call the constructionist movement, Mary, along with Ken, facilitated and encouraged the expansion of social construction both inside and outside of the academy. Through her scholarly writing, Mary brought constructionist ideas to feminist theory and practice as well as to practical topics such as ageing and retirement. For those interested in her academic profile, I encourage you to explore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Gergen.
I knew Mary as an avid reader, eager to integrate others’ ideas into her own work. Mary was also always playful and creative. Her passion for performative expressions of social construction and relational theory provided an alternative to the heavy tomes and academic jargon that often accompanies scholarly work. But Mary was also adept at speaking the language of the academy. In this way, she was multilingual. She creatively found ways to put constructionist ideas into vignettes that mirrored everyday life. With her multiple voices, she was able to share constructionist ideas and practices with a wide range of people – scholars, practitioners, and everyday people.
Mary was also a matchmaker. She loved connecting people with each other. In many ways, we might describe Mary as the Emily Post of social construction. Her social graces mingled with her intellectual sensibility, a sensibility that prioritized relational engagement and unfolding processes. We can thank Mary for inviting us into humanizing all aspects of our lives. She brought a warmth and practicality to her writing, her performances, and her presence with us all.
I will miss sharing food and conversation, dancing, presenting, deliberating about new initiatives for the Taos Institute, working on publications, her (sometimes unwanted) advice, and most of all, having her as part of my extended and immediate family.
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We invite you to join in the honoring for Mary by posting a comment on our website.
Visit our website to share a story, memory, or anecdote here.
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In this month's resources, we make a special tribute to Taos Institute Co-Founder and Board Member, Mary Gergen, Ph.D.
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Mary's Videos, Podcast, and more
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Featured Podcast
Research into positive aging delivers findings that run counter to the traditional understanding of aging. Listen to Taos co-founder and board member Mary Gergen, Ph.D. as she shares her story.
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Positive Aging Newsletter
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Mary Gergen, along with Ken Gergen,
has been editing and producing
the Positive Aging Newsletter since 2001
Challenging the longstanding view of aging as decline, the newsletter provides resources for understanding aging as an unprecedented period of human development. 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.
It is also translated into 9 other languages. This free publication is available on the Taos Institute website and brings to light resources—from scientific research on aging, gerontology practices, and daily life—that contribute to an appreciation of the aging process.
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The Mary Gergen Memorial Fund
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Many people have been asking us how they can contribute to the Taos Institute in honor of Mary Gergen and her important work in the world.
The Taos Institute is a non-profit organization and is supported by generous donations from people around the world. To honor Mary, we invite you to make your memorial donation by going to the link here.
The donations in this memorial fund will further research, community projects, positive aging resources and student scholarships.
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New Book & Dialogue with the Author
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with Kenneth J. Gergen Ph.D. and Scherto R. Gill Ph.D.
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About the book
Oxford University Press is pleased to announce this new book which offers a compelling alternative to the measurement-assessment orientation to evaluation that undermines learning and well-being in schools today. It is richly illustrated with school-based examples that inspire the possibility of a relational approach to evaluation of students, teachers, and whole schools. The authors unite evaluation practices to the dialogic turn in pedagogy and curriculum formation, thus paving the way to a vital transformation in education. Concrete, classroom-rooted practices that can stimulate discussions among school leaders and policy makers are offered.
The time for transforming education is now!
Join the online conversation also on our community dialogue website here.
Kenneth J. Gergen, Ph.D. is Senior Research Professor in Psychology at Swarthmore College and a Founding Member and the President of the Taos Institute.
Scherto R. Gill, Ph.D. is Senior Fellow at the GHFP Peace Research Institute, Visiting Fellow at the University of Sussex, and Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA).
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Save 30% with promo code ASPROMP8
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Professional Development Opportunities
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January 28-30, 2021
An Intensive Online Zoom Seminar with
In this intensive, 9-hour Zoom seminar spread over 3 days (3 hours each day), Harlene and Sheila will introduce, discuss, and provide opportunities to put constructionist theory to practice. Given the challenges we confront globally, discussion will center on exploring the practical implications of social construction while giving ample space for us to collaborate in an effort to put these ideas into practice. Special attention will be given to participants’ own projects and professional contexts. We will provide ample time for sharing and interacting.
This workshop will be useful for those familiar with social construction and relational practice as well as those new or unfamiliar with these ideas. This is an opportunity to be in conversation with others who are working in or who want to work in relational ways. It is a chance to forge connections that might help us sustain relational practices.
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Fridays, 10:00am-12:00 noon, Feb 5-26, 2021
A 4-Week Online Course with
This workshop consists of four 2-hour conversations using a social constructionist positioning to unpack and exchange ideas from readings and daily understandings of familiar concepts in order to reconsider the merits, utility, necessity, and potentials for continuation and/or change of those concepts. We refer to this deeper and wider examination with the verb, “troubling.” We have found that when we engage in such examinations or what we call, Research As Daily Practice with a team or group, we are able to create new possibilities, effective changes, and understandings for going forward.
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April 19 - June 6, 2021
This course introduces common premises and orienting ideas central to dialogues on social construction. The ways in which constructionist ideas differ from traditional, realist understandings of the world are explored. This course features videos and writings of Ken Gergen, Mary Gergen, Sheila McNamee, Harlene Anderson, Barnett Pearce, John Shotter, Saliha Bava and more. It consists of: weekly live calls, readings, videos, assignments, activities, learning partner conversations, online commenting, and writing. There will be live conference calls on Mondays from 11:00am-12:30pm Eastern US time. A mandatory orientation is scheduled for April 20, 2021.
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Spring 2021 - Dates to be determined
Relational theory now provides cutting edge ideas relevant to practices across the professions. The major theoretical shift is from the traditional focus on individuals to the relational processes that are co-produced. This 6-week online course introduces common premises and orienting ideas central to relational theory. The course consists of six modules with online conference meetings, readings, videos and online dialogues. For more information click here.
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Oct 15-17, 2020
The fourth annual gathering where AI practitioners, and anyone interested in strength-based approaches, can come to renew their energies, revitalize their practice, and reflect with each other on what the world is calling for from this community. The event includes inspiration from industry thought catalysts, peer-to-peer learning, and large and small-group interactive dialogues. More details here.
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Co-Creating A More Diverse,
Equitable and Inclusive World with Appreciative Inquiry
Oct. 28 - Nov. 18, 2020
A workshop to activate antiracist practices in your personal and professional lives. More details here.
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