INTERNATIONAL

HUMAN SCIENCE

RESEARCH NEWSLETTER

 

Fall 2003

 

Published by the Department of Psychology,

Seattle University, 900 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122-4340, U.S.A.

 

Editor:

Steen Halling, Ph.D

Phone:

(206) 296-5392

 

Fax:   (206)296-2141

e-mail:

shalling@seattleu.edu

Copy Editor:

Karen Lutz

 

 

Production Editor:

Megan O’Connor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

 

*State of the Newsletter

 

*Report of the 2003 Conference at Ersta Sk`ndal University College, Stockholm

 

*Information/ call for Papers 2004, Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada, August 5-8 (Note change from earlier announcement).

 

*Information/links for Toronto, Ontario

 

*Information for 2005 Conference, University of Bournemouth, England

 

* Proposals for 2006 Conference

 

*Human Science Student Research Community

 

*New Programs:

--Centre for Qualitative Research, University of Bournemouth

--Center for Humanistic Studies Graduate School, Michigan

 

*News about Transpersonal Research

 

*Book and Journal Notes

 

*Links/Connections: 

 

*DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS TO FALL 2004 NEWSLETTER: October 15, 2004*

 

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State of the Newsletter

 

We are in good shape financially as we have about $900, and expect to spend about $400 sending out the newsletter this year. The number of hard copies that we send out is now down to just under 80, and there are about 600 names on our e-mail mailing list

 

Please pass the newsletter on to interested colleagues via e-mail or any other means—it is free to anyone who wants to receive it.

 

Report on the 2003 International Human Science Research Conference

Ersta Sköndal University College, Stockholm, Sweden

Theme: Human Science Research and Human Vulnerability

[submitted by Britt-Marie Ternestedt and Ann-Margret Bergman]

 

The 22nd International Humans Science Research Conference was held in Stockholm, Sweden, August 13-16, 2003, at Ersta Sköndal University College. The main theme of the conference was “Human science research and human vulnerability”. The broad theme gathered 190 participants from 15 countries. The participants came from Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom and USA and of course Sweden.

 

Keynote speeches were given by Amedeo Giorgi, Professor at Saybrook Graduate School in San Francisco. The topic for his speech was “Vulnerabilities concerning knowledge of subjectivity”. Professor Steinar Kvale at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Aarhus in Denmark talked about “Dialogical interview research – emancipatory or oppressive?”. From the School of Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Auckland, New Zealand came Robin Kearns, Associate Professor. His topic was “Placing human vulnerability”.  Professor Karin Dahlberg at the School of Health Science and Social Work, Växjö University, Sweden talked about “The essence of essences in human science research”, Eva Jeppsson Grassman, Professor at the School of Social Work at Stockholm University, Sweden “The person behind the problems – a challenge for human science” and Astrid Norberg, Professor of Nursing at the department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden with the topic “Consolation”. Professor in Social Work at Stockholm University and Vice-Chancellor of Ersta Sköndal University College, Stockholm, Sweden, Thomas Lindstein talked about “Children, vulnerability and human science research”. The last  speaker was Bengt Westerberg, former cabinet minister, Chairman for The Swedish Research Council and he talked about “Research and Science in the Future”.

 

There were 73 paper presentations and six poster presentations.

 

During the conference there were also opportunities for the participants to enjoy lunch music, sightseeing in the city center of Stockholm and an informal dinner at Skansen. We did listen to interesting key notes and paper presentations but we also had time for making new contacts. 

We want to thank all of you that participated in the conference and for your contribution to the conference and we hope to see you again next year.


Call for Papers/Information for 2004 Conference, Brock University      St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada. August 5-8

 

CALL FOR PAPERS

Addressing the conference theme

EMBODIMENT and its CONSEQUENCES

In HUMAN SCIENCE RESEARCH

 

Abstracts up to 250 words are invited for 40 minute papers, 90 minute workshops/experiential sessions, or 120 minute panels (minimum 3 members).  Please specify your intended presentation.  Include title, abstract, author, institutional and contact information (include fax and email).  Also, please include any audio visual and/or electronic requirements, or other presentation aides.  We are a very well equipped university, and will work to accommodate all requests.  Presenters are urged to have back-up plans (i.e., overheads as well as power point) in case of unforeseen circumstances.  Presenters will be notified if we are unable to accommodate your requests.

 

Persons making submissions are encouraged to consider embodiment as subject and process of inquiry, and to interrogate praxiological, pedagogical, methodological and/or theoretical issues/applications/positions.  Papers on other topics of relevance to human science research are also welcome.  Unless otherwise indicated, the program committee will organize accepted papers into resonant and/or thematic groupings.

 

This year’s program team includes collaborators from Brock University, McMaster University, and OISE/University of Toronto and a disciplinary range including Physical Education, Education, Administration, Recreation, Leadership & Management, Nursing, Cultural Studies, Therapy, Health Sciences & Health Studies, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Psychology, Disability Studies, and Communication Studies.

 

Brock University is nestled in the heart of the Niagara region, the campus itself being on the Niagara escarpment, and the beneficiary of numerous hiking trails and lush landscape.  Our location places us at the hub of many excellent tourist attractions, including several world-renowned wineries, Niagara Falls, and numerous entertainment and tour-based venues.  The on-campus Conference Services facilities offer residence accommodations at very reasonable rates ($35.00/day Canadian funds), meal plans in the dining hall, and guest plan/passes in our state of the art fitness centre and Olympic swimming pool.  Brock’s campus is also within easy bus and shuttle access to hotels, shopping, and restaurants.

 

The conference organizing committee is planning several “embodiment events” during the course of the conference, and will be offering tour and entertainment options based on participant interest.

 

Conference website will be available via the Brock University website: http://www.brocku.ca by December, 2003.  Registration information will be available in hard copy and online.

 

Submit abstracts to:

Maureen Connolly, Program Chair,

Director, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Educational Technologies

TH 253A, Brock University, St. Catherine’s, Ontario,

Canada, L2S 3A1.

Fax: 905-688-8364 or 905-688-4505

Email: mconnoll@brocku.ca

Phone: 905-688-5550 x 3381 or 4707

 

Inquiries can be made to Maureen Connolly at above contact information or to:

Georgann Watson, Program Administrator,

Phone: 905-688-5550 x 4809  Fax: 905-688-0541  Email: gwatson@brocku.ca

 

Submission deadline:     Mar. 1, 2004

Reviews completed by:  Mar. 31, 2004

Acceptance confirmed by: April 15, 2004

 

Information about travel from Toronto to St. Catherine’s, Canada

by Steen Halling

 

Since most of those traveling by plane to the conference in St. Catherine's will arrive by way of the Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, I wanted to provide some practical information about travel from Toronto to St. Catherine's as well as some information on Toronto. As a former Torontonian, I must confess to having a bias in favor of this, the largest city in Canada, although I am also aware of its faults, such as congested roads during much of the day.  The prices given below are in Canadian dollars (One Canadian dollar = .75 US dollar].

 

There are basically four ways to get from the Toronto airport to St. Catherine’s. In each case, it will take about an hour and a half.

 

1)      Rent a car and drive. Take Highway 427 south and then the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) west to St. Catherine’s. But there is a catch. If you rent a car from an airport location, you pay a 25% surcharge in taxes. That is, if the rental cost is $200, you pay and extra $50. How to avoid this? Rent a car from a location away from the airport. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has an express bus that goes to the western most subway station (at Kipling). It takes about 20 minutes and costs $2.25. From there you can go anywhere in Toronto. There are also express buses to downtown that cost about $17 one way.

Check the TTC web site: http://www.ttc.ca

 

2) There is a shuttle (Niagara Airbus) that runs between the Toronto airport and St. Catherine’s, as well as between the Buffalo airport and St. Catherine’s. The return fare from Toronto to St. Catherine’s is $115. Do make reservations ahead of time:

Phone: (905) 677-8083 in Toronto; (716) 835-8111 in Buffalo.

E-mail:        airsales@niagaraairbus.com

Web site:    http://www.niagaraairbus.com  

 

3) Take the bus from downtown Toronto to St. Catherine’s. This makes sense especially if you are visiting Toronto before or after the conference. The return fare is about $50 and there are four departures a day.

Check the web site for Greyhound Canada:

http://www.greyhound.ca

 

4)      The most civilized alternative—take the train from downtown Toronto. There are two rains daily, and one way fare is $28. There are discounts of 25% if you order your ticket five days ahead or more.

http://www.viarail.ca/


The City of Toronto is well worth visiting before or after the conference. This home of three million people was designated by UNESCO as the world’s most diverse city in 1993.  Over 180 national and ethnic groups living together in relative harmony and close to half of the people living in Toronto were born outside of Canada. Toronto has a lively downtown area and is situated on the shore of Lake Ontario so even during the hottest of summers one can find relief by the water. There is a lot of theatre, music and a number of outstanding museums, including the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. The public transportation system (subway and buses) is excellent. The crime rate is significantly lower than just about every major city in North America.

 

Accommodations in Toronto can be expensive but need not be. You can find bed and breakfast places that start at $50 Canadian. Keep in mind that because of the subway system you can quickly get to downtown from outlying areas where costs are lower.

 

Go to: http://www.torontotourism.com and find information about every aspect of the city, including accommodations. Under accommodations check under “bed and breakfast” for less expensive options, and keep in mind that “Midtown” is only few miles north of downtown.

 

Do make your reservations well ahead of time because Toronto is a major tourist destination in August.

 

Information for 2005 Conference, University of Bournemouth, England

 

The exact dates will be announced next year but it will be held during the first two weeks of August. Bournemouth is on the English Channel, about an hour and a half by train southwest of London. The university has a strong emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach to health and social care. Housing is available in well-placed hotels and the venue has excellent facilities for conferences. Contact person: Professor Les Todres:

Ltodres@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

Proposals for 2006 Conference

 

According to tradition, the 2006 conference would be held in North America. Those who are interested in hosting the conference are urged to bring a proposal to the conference in St. Catherine’s this coming August.

 

Human Science Student Research Community

 

The IHSSC is a virtual community for graduate and undergraduate students in the human sciences and is associated with the International Human Science Research Conference.  It got at its start at the 2001 IHSR Conference in Tokyo, Japan. The organizer of this community is Richard Zayed, Ph.D. candidate, University of Ottawa, Canada. (rzaye001@uottawa.ca).  Email Richard and he will send you the icon that gives you access to the website, which gives a history, a list of members, a mission statement, and links to related organizations.


New Centre for Qualitative Research

 [submitted by Les Todres]

 

The Institute of Health and Community Studies at Bournemouth University in the UK launched its new Centre for Qualitative Research on September 9th, 2003. The centre was opened by Professor Donald E. Polkinghorne, Attalah Chair of Humanistic Psychology at the University of Southern California, who delivered a talk on “The value and use of qualitative research findings.” For more information, check the Centre’s web site:

 

http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ihcs/researchCQRindex.html

 

Center for Humanistic Studies Graduate School, Michigan, USA

 

Clark Moustakas, founding member of the Humanistic Psychology movement and originator of Heuristic Research established the Center. The Center offers degrees emphasizing existential-humanistic principles and clinical application. Learners complete theses and dissertations utilizing heuristic, phenomenological and other human science methodologies. Conctact Shawn Rubin at shawn@humanpsyc.edu or check the web site:

http://www.humanpsych.edu

 

News on Transpersonal Research

[submitted by Rosemarie Anderson]

 

Integral Inquiry, developed by William Braud, emphasizes the multileveled and complex nature of human experience and the correspondingly multifaceted and pluralistic nature of research. Integral Inquiry website provides comprehensive resources in transpersonal psychology and related areas of interest, such as spirituality, consciousness studies, mysticism, and parapsychology. http://www.integral-inquiry.com/.

 

Intuitive Inquiry is a hermeneutical approach to research that incorporates and cultivates the epistemologies of the heart as central to research. Research techniques include proprioceptive and kinesthetic intuition, empathic identification, and embodied writing are blended with conventional modes of data gathering, analysis, and presentation of findings. For information contact the developer, Rosemarie Anderson at: randerson@itp.edu.

 

Book/Journal Notes

 

Gillie Bolton, Stephanie Howlett, Colin Lago and Jeannie Wright are the editors of Writing Cures: An Introductory Handbook of Writing in Counselling and Therapy [forthcoming this spring from Brunner-Routledge, estimated price for pbk. in the UK, 20 pounds]. The chapters in this book address the value of expressive and reflective writing in the context of therapy, and include specific topics such as the therapeutic use of poetry writing, the use of writing by clients with chronic pain, and online writing as an adjunct to therapy.

 

Jennifer Bullington, The Mysterious Life of the Body: A New Look at Psychosomatics [Söder tälje, Sweden: Almqvist & Wiksell International, $28]. This book critically examines traditional psychosomatic theories (e.g., psychodynamic, stress theory, the work of the psychobiologist Hertbert Weiner) and provides an alternative non-dualistic vision based on the phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and with a focus on the lived body.  To order, go to:

http://www.akademibokhandeln.se/akb/awi.html

 

Larry Davidson, who has been involved in studying schizophrenia from a phenomenological viewpoint for a number of years has just published Living outside Mental Illness: Qualitative Studies of Recovery in Schizophrenia [New York University Press, 2003, 227pp, $19  pb].  This is a remarkable book both for those who are interested in phenomenological research and those who want to understand the experience of those persons who live with this diagnosis.  This is a valuable book for researchers, family members, clinicians, and anyone who values the truth that comes from carefully listening to stories.

 

Mufid James Hannush’s,  Becoming Good parents: An existential Journey [2002, SUNY Press, 172 pp. $17 pb] has been praised by Fred Wertz as providing “a counterpoint to the superficial and overly formulaic popular ‘how to’ literature on parenting as it provides no specific techniques or rigid directives but rather challenges each parent to rise to the distinctive existential demands of becoming a parent, through a guided reflection on its meaning, in his or her unique, concrete situation.” This book has received a good deal of praise.

 

Daniel Liechty’s edited book Death and Denial: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Legacy of Ernest Becker  [2002, Praeger, 300 pp; $67 hb] includes contributions from a broad range of thinkers such as Kirk Schneider, Gavin de Becker, Robert Langs, Steen Halling, Jeff Greenberg, Sheldon Solomon, James Aho, David Loy, and Kirby Farrell who have been inspired by the writings of Ernest Becker. The topics they discuss include leadership, the nature of evil, leadership, death denial, forgiveness, the transcendent dimension in social science, and working with children in poverty. This is an impressive volume.

 

Qualitative Research in Psychology is a new journal, which starting in February of 2004 will publish articles that use qualitative methods as well as theoretical papers that address conceptual issues underlying qualitative research. The aim of the editors, David Giles, Brendan Gough, and Martin Packer, is to provide a forum for a wide range of qualitative approaches. For more information, go to: http://www.qualresearchpsych.com

 

Kirk Schneider has a new book coming out in spring of 2004. Rediscovery of Awe: Splendor, Mystery and the Fluid center of Life [Paragon House, $19.95] offers a timely alternative to the two currently dominant world views, nihilistic relativism and dogmatic fundamentalism. It weds faith to doubt, and the depth and pathos of religiosity to the openness and discernment of science. There are strong pre-publication praise for this book from Maurice Friedman, David Elkins, and Mark Stern

 

David L. Smith is author of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The History of Duquesne University’s Graduate Psychology Programs (1959-1999) [2002, Pittsburgh, PA: Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center, 246 pp., $15.00 pb.]. This is very interesting reading for anyone who has had an association with Duquesne University or anyone who just wants to know more about the institution that has contributed so much to the development of phenomenological psychology in North America. Order from the publisher:  SSPC, Gumberg Library, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. 15282.

 

Jonathan A. Smith is editor of Qualitative Research: A Practical Guide to Research Methods [2003, SAGE, 258 pp. $29.95], an eminently readable textbook for anyone interested in the theory and practice of the various qualitative methods in psychology. The chapters are written by distinguished scholars and researchers: on phenomenology, (Amedeo and Barbro Giorgi), grounded theory (Kathy Charmaz), discourse analysis (Carla Willing), the origins of qualitative research (Peter Ashworth), interpretive phenomenology (Jonathan Smith and Mike Osborn), cooperative inquiry (Peter Reason), and more. The contributors follow a format set out by the editor and the result is a reader friendly and very lucid text that is useful to student and researcher alike.

 

Links/Connections

 

1)      Aarhus University (Denmark), Center for the Development of Qualitative Methodology in the Psychological Institute. The newsletter, edited by Steinar Kvale, is published several times a year and has news about conferences, book reviews and brief articles. Some of the material is in Danish, some in English:

      http://www.psy.au.dk/ckm/

 

2)      Existential-Humanistic Institute, San Francisco, USA. According to its web site, edited by Kirk Schneider, the goal of the institute “is to support both existentially and humanistically informed psychologies and psychotherapies throughout the world.”  Its newsletter is on its web site as well as a bibliography, a listing of workshops and events, and a directory of related links.

      http://www.ehinstitute.org/

 

3)  Web site for Human Science Research Studies.  This web site, started in 2001, provides published (in the form of articles, chapters, monographs, or books, but not dissertations) English language human science research studies, that is, research that is within the phenomenological and hermeneutical/interpretive traditions, broadly defined.  This web site is made possible by the support of Peter Brawley of Artful Software who is kindly donating his services.

The content of the web site was published in the winter 2003 edition of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology. If you know of studies that are not listed, send the complete reference information (APA format) to shalling@seattleu.edu. Our plan is to update the list about four times a year.

http://www.artfulsoftware.com/humanscienceresearch.html

 

4)      Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology—this is a peer reviewed interdisciplinary on-line journal intended to provide scholars in the southern hemisphere with an avenue through which they can express their scholarship. The journal is an initiative of the Phenomenology Research Group based at Edith Cowan University in western Australia. There are now four editions of available.

      http://www.ipjp.org

 

5)      International Institute for Qualitative Methodology—this Institute, which is located at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, and is headed up by Dr. Janice Morse (keynote speaker at the IHSR Conference in Sheffield, UK, 1999), sets up an annual conference in Banff, Alberta in May. The members of the institute seek to promote the development of qualitative research methods and to encourage collaboration among groups and institutions that are involved in this form of research.

      http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm


6)   International Journal of Qualitative Methods—this free multilingual and multidisciplinary electronic journal is published by the above Institute. All submissions are peer reviewed. Articled should be focused on some aspects of qualitative methodology. They do not publish articles reporting on the results of quantitative studies.

      http://www.ualberta.ca/~ijqm

 

7)   Interest Group on “First Person Science”

      This is their statement of purpose:

            “Some of us are forming a group to bring together the many kinds of knowledge that now exist about human beings. We are envisioning the possibility of a ‘first person science’ which should develop along with the two current sciences, 1) the reductive physical sciences, and 2) holistic ecology. Many kinds of knowledge about human beings could easily give rise to testable variables, or have already done so. Social policies, currently based only on the two existing sciences, need a third science to go along with the other two.” For more information, please contact Gene Gendlin: gend@midway.uchicago.edu

 

8)      Network for Research on Experiential Psychotherapies (NREP): This web site is devoted to the purpose of stimulating research on experiential/humanistic psychotherapies. It has been founded to provide an overview of the whole range of experiential therapy research. It seeks to foster dialogue among researchers and to provide support for new researchers.

      http://www.experiential-researchers.org/

 

9)   Newsletter of Phenomenology—this free weekly newsletter provides information about what is going on in the world of phenomenology, including information about conferences and workshops, lectures, new books. To subscribe, e-mail:

      Newsletter_of_phenomenology_subscribe@yahoogroups.com

      To submit content, please e-mail it to: Newsletter_of_phenomenology@yahoogroups.com

 

10) Phenomenology Online—This site provides public access to articles, monographs, and other materials discussing and exemplifying phenomenological research. It is edited by Max van Manen. The site has access to numerous full-text articles, including many from the journal Phenomenology + Pedagogy

      http://www.phenomenologyonline.com

 

11) The Simon Silverman Phenomenology Center at Duquesne University--this web site has almost all of the abstracts of the psychology dissertations done at Duquesne University, University of Dallas, and a number from Georgia State University and the Saybrook Institute. The dissertations cover a vast spectrum of topics including hopelessness, forgiveness, depression, infidelity, magic and science, psychotherapy, eating disorders, and many more:

      http://www.library.duq.edu/silverman/index.htm

 

12)  Society for Phenomenology and the Human Sciences—SPHS encourages the application of phenomenological methodology to specific investigations within the human sciences. You are invited to join SPHS in its effort to achieve a deeper understanding of and engagement with the Life-World. SPHS holds its meetings in conjunction with SPEP (Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy)

      Contact Philip Lewin re SPHS at  pmlewin@yahoo.com

      The SPEP web site is at: http://spep.org

 

13) Dr. Hiroshi Yasunaga gave the keynote