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Brown Bag with Steve Wessler: The Highs and Lows of CR in a Human Rights Context
Thursday, October 16th
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Conference Room 5183
Steve will talk about his conflict resolution work in the US between Muslims and Christians, in US high schools experiencing racial tensions and violence, in Kosovo with adults and also with teens and in Northern Ireland between Catholic and Protestant youth. He will discuss the challenges of CR when only one "side" is in the room, of preparing for work in places you know little about, and of coping with vicarious trauma. He will also discuss the joys of being witness in dialogues to both remarkable stories of resilience and demonstrations of courage to move beyond hate.
Steve Wessler has worked in human rights for over 22 years first directing a state wide hate crime investigation and enforcement unit, than starting his own human rights NGO, and now consulting with NGOs and IGOs. He has engaged in conflict resolution on issues of of race, nationality, religion and sexual orientation across the US and in Europe, including Northern Ireland and Kosovo. The participants in his CR work range from youth to police officers to religious leaders to NGO staff to the general public. Steve teaches courses on human rights issues at the College of the Atlantic.
Steve Wessler will be teaching the course CONF 795-002:
"CR Skills for the Long Haul"
Friday October 17, 6:00-9:00pm;
Saturday October 18, 10:00am-5:00pm
Course Description:
Providing students with skills to engage in CR in the human rights field without burning out or becoming too distant from the emotional content of conflict. Students will develop these skills during practice sessions:
a) Avoiding becoming the caricature of the "fly-in expert: Learning strategies for preparing for CR in places you have never been through focus groups and interviews
b) Telling Stories: The use of stories in CR can motivate participants to rethink their perspectives on conflict and also give you a sense of continuity as you bring your experience and wisdom from past work to new situations
c) Responding to Difficult Questions, Comments or Outbursts: How we respond to difficult comments are pivotal moments in CR. We will practice skills for responding in the moment.
d) Coping with Vicarious Trauma: Learning skills for understanding and coping with the wrenching stories of emotional and physical trauma we hear in human rights and CR work.