JOHN DEWEY SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING 2017 SAN ANTONIO, TX

The John Dewey Society Annual Meeting: 2017 

Thursday, April 27 2017 Henry B. Gonzalez Center 

Room 5

Conference Theme:

Creative Democracy - The Task Before Us in the Era of Clinton v. Trump

Founded in 1935, when American education was under attack from the right, the Society aimes to keep alive John Dewey's commitment to critical and reflective intelligence in approaching pressing problems in education and culture. It is fitting, then, at the beginning of the presidency of Donald Trump, that we come together to reflect on its implications for democratic life.

What are the challenges to a vibrant and healthy democratic life? In an essay late in life, “Creative Democracy – The Task Before Us” John Dewey argued that democracy was more than a political institution; it was a way of life - as dependent upon family, friendship, the school, the economy, and other strands in the fabric of civil society as on the government.

Today, in many countries including our own, democracy is under attack. Anti-democratic leaders at home and abroad stir the pot of mistrust and hate. The Secretary of Education promises to undo our commitment to the common school. It is appropriate, therefore, to return to Dewey and consider anew how democratic life and democratic education can be reclaimed.


Pre-Conference Workshop | 8am-12pm

Session 1: Theorizing Democratic Education (Roudy Hildreth, Chair) | 8am-9:45am

This panel discussion explores how Deweyan theories of democracy and education can help us make sense of and respond to the current political and educational situation. Recent events have renewed our focus on the relationship between democracy and education. Indeed, it appears that positive connections between democracy and education are under strain. We have witnessed how social media preys on Americans’ low levels of political knowledge, creating narrow channels for the flow information, and increasingly, disinformation. We have witnessed increasingly polarized political discourse and the rise of anti-democratic sentiments. We have witnessed attacks on public education. This panels gathers three outstanding scholars who will offer Deweyan interpretations of the current situation, and in his spirit, are also able speak to concerns of democratic education in practice.

Panelists:

Walter Parker, University of Washington

Paula McAvoy, University of Wisconsin Madison Kathleen Knight Abowitz, Miami University, Ohio (Other panelists to be announced)

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Session 2: Teaching About Democratic Education (Amy Shuffleton, Organizer) | 10am-11:45 am

The panel discusses approaches to teaching about “democracy and education” and works towards some common insights. While each panelist engages with John Dewey’s ideas, the workshop focuses upon democracy and education, not Dewey’s book by that title. This workshop engages with what it means pedagogically to treat creative democracy as the task before us in higher education. While developed against the background of Trump v. Clinton, and addressing current events, workshop concerns extend beyond the recent election cycle.

Panelists:

Sue Ellen Henry, Bucknell University

Kathy Hytten, University of North Carolina Greensboro

Amy Shuffelton, Loyola University

Sarah Stitzlein, University of Cincinnati

Kurt Stemhagen, Virginia Commonwealth University, Chair and Discussant

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Regular Annual JDS Meeting

JDS Symposium: Creative Democracy: Democratic Education in the Era of Clinton v. Trump | 12noon - 145pm

The panelists, all leading educational thinkers, consider the lessons to be drawn from the recent election and Trump presidency for the reconstruction of democratic education.

Panelists:

Peter Levine, Tufts University

Walter Parker, University of Washington

Winston Thompson, University of New Hampshire

Diana Hess, University of Wisconsin

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School and Society Forum | 2pm-3:45pm

Communities in Schools San Antonio (CISSA) and the John Dewey Society are proud to host the seventh annual School & Society Forum. The forum is a public space embracing dialogue, interaction, and deliberation concerning school and society issues across multiple stakeholders—P-16 teachers, policymakers, administrators, scholars, parents, students, community educators, & interest groups—drawing upon John Dewey’s commitments to democratic schooling. Students, parents, and CISSA organizers will lead a panel discussion about issues facing the San Antonio community.

Kyle Greenwalt, John Vasquez, Lauren Geraghty, & Jessica Landgraf, Organizers

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JDS Dewey Lecture: Harry Boyte | 4pm-5:45pm

Citizen Politics and Democratic Change in the Age of Trump: Beyond the Manichean Model

Harry Boyte is one of today’s most prominent democratic theorists and activists. He has worked with many foundations, and non-profit educational, and citizen organizations in the United

States and abroad concerned with community development, citizenship education, and civic renewal. In the 1960s, he worked for the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a field secretary with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the Civil Rights Movement.

Boyte is the author of nine books on citizenship, democracy, and community organizing, and his writings have appeared in more than 100 publications including the New York Times, Perspectives on Politics, Kettering Review, and the Wall Street Journal.

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JDS Reception | 6pm - 7:30pm

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Friday, April 28 2017 Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center | Room 5 Meetings and Working Sessions l 8am-12 noon

Emerging Scholar Working Session (Melissa Bradleyi) | 8am-9am

Education and Action Working Group (Kathleen Knight Abowitz and Harry Boyte) | 9am-10:30am

JDS Executive Board and Directors Meeting (Leonard Wak and Peter Nelsen) | 10:30am–11:45 am

Regular Conference Sessions Dewey and Philosophy Panel I | 12noon -1:45pm

Creative Integration and Pragmatist Optimism: Dispositions for the Task Before Us,

Barbara S. Stengel, Vanderbilt University

Creative Democracy, Equality, and Religion: Bhimrao Ambedkar’s Pragmatic Reconstruction of Buddhism, Scott R. Stroud, University of Texas at Austin

Mindfulness and Creative Democracy, Kyle Greenwalt and Cuong Nguyen, Michigan State University

The (Im)Possibilities of Realizing Dewey’s Vision in the Age of Trump: Towards More Creative Democracy, Roudy Hildreth, University of Colorado Boulder

Chair: A.G. Rud, Washington State University

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Dewey through the Generations Panel (Jessica Heybach, Chair) | 2pm -3:30pm Challenges for Democracy: New Developments and Tendencies

The Secularism that Divides Us: Reframing Dewey’s Conception of Moral Education

Alexander T. K. Elnabli, Graduate Teaching Fellow, Fordham University

Democratic Faith, Chanhee Lee, Vincennes University

Preserving Dialogue and Democratic Ideals: John Dewey and Philosophy for Children,

Charles Royal Carlson, Sam Houston State University Respondant: Gregory Pappas, Texas A&M University BREAK

Dewey and Philosophy Panel II | 3:45pm - 5:15pm

Dewey’s Pragmatism and Contemporary Challenges of Media and Democracy

Lance E. Mason, Indiana University Kokomo

Dear Democracy, The 2016 Presidential Election, Love Philosophy, Daniel A. Lilly, Florida State University

Creating the Conditions for a Creative , Democracy: John Dewey and D.W. Winnicott on Democratic Living, Jane Blanken-Webb, University of Eastern Finland

Chair: A.G. Rud, Washington State University

JDS Business Meeting | 5:20pm- 6:30pm

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JOHN DEWEY SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING

THURSDAY, APRIL 27- FRIDAY, APRIL, 28

HENRY B. GONZALEZ CONVENTION CENTER | ROOM 5

SAN ANTONIO TEXAS

CREATIVE DEMOCRACY - THE TASK BEFORE US IN THE ERA OF CLINTON V. TRUMP

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS ON DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION
Theorizing Democratic Education | 8am-9:45am
Walter Parker, University of Washington
Paula McAvoy, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Kathleen Knight Abowitz, Miami University, Ohio
Roudy Hildreth, University of Colorado-Boulder, Chair

Teaching About Democratic Education | 10am-11:45 am
Sue Ellen Henry, Bucknell University
Kathy Hytten, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Amy Shuffelton, Loyola University
Sarah Stitzlein, University of Cincinnati
Kurt Stemhagen, Virginia Commonwealth University, Discussant

JDS SYMPOSIUM
Creative Democracy: Democratic Education in the Era of Clinton v. Trump | 12pm-1:45pm
Peter Levine, Tufts University
Walter Parker, University of Washington
Winston Thompson, University of New Hampshire
Diana Hess, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Leonard Waks, Temple University, Chair

School and Society Forum with Communities in Schools San Antonio| 2pm-3:45pm
John Vasquez
Lauren Geraghty
Jessica Landgraf
Kyle Greenwalt, Michigan State University, Chair

DEWEY LECTURE
Harry Boyte | 4:15pm-5:45pm
Citizen Politics and Schools as Civic Centers: “Will Democracy Survive Big Data and Artificial Intelligence?”

DEWEY RECEPTION 6:15 - 7:30 pm
Everyone Welcome

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017

Emerging Scholar Working Session | 8am-9am
Education and Action Working Group | 9am-10:30am 
JDS Executive Board and Directors Meeting |10:30am–11:45am

REGULAR CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Dewey and Philosophy Panel I | 12pm-1:45pm
Creative Integration and Pragmatist Optimism: Dispositions for the Task Before Us
Barbara S. Stengel, Vanderbilt University
Creative Democracy, Equality, and Religion: Bhimrao Ambedkar’s Pragmatic Reconstruction of Buddhism
Scott R. Stroud, University of Texas at Austin
Mindfulness and Creative Democracy
Kyle Greenwalt and Cuong Nguyen, Michigan State University
The (Im)Possibilities of Realizing Dewey’s Vision in the Age of Trump: Towards More Creative Democracy
Roudy Hildreth, University of Colorado Boulder
A.G. Rud, Washington State University, Chair

Dewey through the Generations Panel | 2pm -3:30pm
Challenges for Democracy: New Developments and Tendencies
The Secularism that Divides Us: Reframing Dewey’s Conception of Moral Education
Alexander T. K. Elnabli, Graduate Teaching Fellow, Fordham University
In the Surge of Authoritarianism: Democratic Faith
Chanhee Lee, Vincennes University
Preserving Dialogue and Democratic Ideals: John Dewey and Philosophy for Children
Charles Carlson, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Sam Houston State University
Respondent: Gregory Pappas, Texas A&M University
Jessica Heybach, Aurora University, Chair

Dewey and Philosophy Panel II | 33:45pm - 5:15pm
Dewey’s Pragmatism and Contemporary Challenges of Media and Democracy
Lance E. Mason, Indiana University-Kokomo
Dear Democracy, The 2016 Presidential Election, Love Philosophy
Daniel A. Lilly, Florida State University
Creating the Conditions for a Creative, Democracy: John Dewey and D.W. Winnicott on Democratic Living
Jane Blanken-Webb, University of Eastern Finland
A.G. Rud, Washington State University, Chair

 JDS Business Meeting | 5:20pm- 6:30pm