Sustainable Identities, Cohesive Communities

An Interdisciplinary Investigation into Intra-Cultural Development Theory and Practice

Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
2012 October Friday 19th- Saturday 20th

Abstract

Questions of identity—how people feel connected to national, cultural, ethnic, religious communities and images—are at the heart of many of today’s local and global problems. Yet, these same identities also potentially present opportunities to bring about solutions to the problems they pose. Intra-Cultural Development is an interdisciplinary approach which attempts to engage human identities as a means to resolve problems of conflict, prejudice and intolerance.

An understanding of identity is essential, whether we are trying to: merely describe the world in which we live; deal with localised prejudice; build successful cultural/national integration policies; or set out to resolve violent and non-violent conflicts. This workshop sets out to bring together academics, governmental and non-governmental representatives and professionals. Together workshop members will exchange perspectives, experiences and their unique approaches to the analysis and/or engagement of identities. In the discussions that ensue, participants will look to how to apply this individual and combined knowledge  to solving real world problems and developing common theoretical and methodological foundations for the integration of their approaches into Intra-Cultural Development.

Individual contributions will be diverse, setting out a series of practical and theoretical examples that illustrate how understanding and/or engaging identities can facilitate an increased efficiency in the crafting of social cohesion on the local, national or regional level. Participants are encouraged to evaluate the effectiveness of their own work and perspectives and to put forward ideas for the development of Intra-Cultural Development theory and practice as the discussions progress.

The workshop aims to galvanize the efforts currently under way to further build and promote Intra-Cultural Development theory and practice across academic, professional and development sectors, ultimately attempting to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a wide-range of initiatives and development programming that seek to raise the social, economic and security standards of societies.  In so doing, the OICD aims to provide a social cohesion building development forum and a set of methodologies for people working in a wide range of academic and professional fields including: community development, anthropology, policy studies, psychology, development programming, international relations, conflict mitigation and resolution, and media studies.

Location