The mass movement of people across national boundaries has become one of the defining characteristics of our era. In the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, millions of people—welcomed and unwelcomed—are fleeing the effects of war, poverty, crime, intergroup conflict, and environmental change. At the same time, political discourse in the US has sunk to new depths with national political leaders calling for the construction of walls and moratoria on the acceptance of refugees.
On April 14-15, 2016, the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions and Antioch College will host a series of roundtable discussions examining the causes of displacement, the forces shaping our perception of the phenomenon, and the nature of the support systems that we entrust with the responsibility of formulating a compassionate response to the plight of the displaced. The event is also intended to explore ways in which we can respond—as individuals, as a community, and as a nation.
In the following interview, WYSO's Jerry Kenney speaks with Richard Kraince, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Cooperative Education and Dean of Cooperative, Experiential & International Education about the event. See more information and a full schedule of the events below.
Presenters and participants include members of the refugee community; Antioch College faculty, staff, and students who have been working on migration studies and refugee initiatives; invited scholars; local professionals; and Yellow Springs residents working to provide a better welcome to refugees within our community. The conference kicks off on Thursday night with a keynote speaker, proceeds through a series of roundtable discussions on Friday, and is expected to end with the issuance of set of recommendations for how we can respond to the crisis as a community. Childcare will be available.
SCHEDULE
Day 1
Thursday, April 14, 2016
South Gym, Wellness Center
Keynote Presentation - 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Dr. Semahagn Gashu Abebe Institute of Human Rights, UConn. A legal scholar working on human rights law, food security, and social justice, Dr. Semahagn will speak on the forces affecting displacement and migration in Ethiopia and other countries impacted by natural disaster, social conflict, and authoritarian political control.
Day 2
Friday, April 15, 2016
South Gym, Wellness Center
Coffee and Registration - 8:30 a.m.
Panel 1 - 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
Roundtable discussion on the Global Forces of Displacement and Migration
Panel 2 - 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Roundtable discussion on Refugees and the Discursive Construction of Threat: Political rhetoric and the Media caricature
Lunch - 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Featured Lecture - 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Antioch College archivist Scott Sanders offers a historical perspective on the Yellow Springs and College community's legacy of welcoming refugees.
Panel 3 - 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Refugee Systems, Services & Regional Bureaucracies: Gaps on the Ground
Closing Session - 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Responses, Recommendations & Community Solutions
*WYSO is licensed to Antioch College