DifficultDialoguesontheEnvironment
DifficultDialogues/PlanetTexas2050TeachingWorkshopSponsoredbyTheHumanitiesInstituteandthe
BridgingBarriersProgramoftheOfficeoftheVicePresidentforResearch
TheEtter-HarbinAlumniCenter–Schmidt&NowotnyRoomsFriday,August31,2018(3:00PM-6:30PM)
WorkshopSchedule3:00-3:30PM:LightReception(HorsD'oeuvres,TeaandCoffee)3:30-3:40PM:IntroductiontoDifficultDialogues–PaulineStrong(HumanitiesInstitute)3:40-4:20PM:RemarksbyFeaturedSpeaker–LibbyRoderick,UniversityofAlaska,Anchorage4:20-4:50PM:FacultyPanelI:"Challenges,Strategies,Analogies,Hope”• Dr.RobertJensen(Journalism):Intellectual,emotional,andmoralchallengesfacedwhen
teachinganhonestaccountofenvironmentalcrises.• Dr.FikileNxumalo(CurriculumandInstruction):Strategiesforteachingaboutthe
Anthropoceneasa“matterofconcern”(Latour)ratherthansimplyascientificfact.• Dr.ArleneRosen(Anthropology):Usingnarrativesofpastsocietiesasanalogiesfor
modernethicalchallengessuchaslivingsustainablyintheAnthropoceneenvironment,foodinsecuritythroughtheages,andtheethicsinvolvedinadaptingtoclimatechange.
• Dr.ErikaBsumek(History):TheRadicalHopesyllabus,whichaimstoreframe
contemporarydiscussionsabouttheenvironmentandinfluencesustainabilitytransformationsinwaysthatarebothfeasibleandhopeful.
4:50-5:10PM:DiscussionofFacultyPanelI5:10-5:25PM:BreakforRefreshments5:25-5:50PM:FacultyPanelII:"Skepticism,Imagination,Empiricism”• Dr.JayBanner(GeologicalSciences):Howteachingclimatechangeissupportedbyan
emphasisonthescientificmethod,ananalysisofthestrategiesofclimatechangeskeptics/deniers,andtheimportanceofK12STEMeducationinaddressingtheproblemsassociatedwithdiscourseonclimatechange.
DifficultDialoguesontheEnvironment
SponsoredbytheOfficeoftheVicePresidentforResearchthroughPlanetTexas2050and
theHumanitiesInstitutethroughtheBarronUlmerKiddCentennialLectureship
• Dr.JasonCons(Anthropology):Case-basedstrategiesforteachingaboutenvironmentalpolitics.
• Dr.MeganRaby(History):Usinghistoricalperspectivesonclimatechangeandclimate
changedenial,aswellashelpingstudentsimagineenvironmental“historiesofthefuture.”
5:50-6:10PM:DiscussionofFacultyPanelII6:10-6:30PM:ClosingDiscussionandNextSteps:LibbyRoderickandPaulineStrong
LibbyRoderick
LibbyRoderickisDirectoroftheDifficultDialoguesInitiativeandAssociateDirectoroftheCenterforAdvancingFacultyExcellenceattheUniversityofAlaska,Anchorage,andViceChairoftheDifficultDialoguesNationalResourceCenter.SheisAssociateEditorofStartTalking:AHandbookforEngagingDifficultDialoguesinHigherEducation,co-authorofStopTalking:IndigenousWaysofTeachingandLearningand
DifficultDialoguesinHigherEducation;editorofAlaskaNativeCulturesandIssues;andeditorofToxicFriday:ResourcesforAddressingFacultyBullyinginHigherEducation.SheworkswithfacultyacrosstheU.S.andinSouthAfricatoincreasetheircapacitytoeffectivelyconductdifficultdialogues,applyIndigenouswaysofteachingandlearningintheclassroom,andengagewithcolleaguestoensurecollegialityinacademicdepartments.Alongtimeclimateactivist,sheiscurrentlyhelpingguideapartnershipbetweentheUniversityofAlaskaandtheMunicipalityofAnchoragetocreateaClimateActionPlanforthecityofAnchorage.Libbyisalsoaninternationallyrecognized,award-winningsinger/songwriter,recordingartistandactivistwhosemusichasbeenfeaturedonCNN,CBS,attheUNconferenceinBeijing,attheMs.Foundation,WorldWildernessCongress,bytheAssociatedPress,andinmanyotherforums.Shehasappearedatcolleges,universities,conferencesandfolkvenuesthroughoutNorthAmerica.Hersevenrecordingshavereceivedworldwideairplayandheressays,poemsandsongshaveappearedinnumerousmovies,booksandpublications,includingHometownbyPulitzer-prizewinnerTracyKidder;MoralGround:EthicalResponsestoaPlanetinPeril;PrayersforaThousandYears:InspirationfromLeadersandVisionariesAroundtheWorld,andmanymore.ShehasreceivedacitationofexcellencefromtheAlaskaLegislatureforheractivism,andsheisaRasmusonIndividualArtistFellowandanAlaskaWomanofAchievement.