Description

Talking Circles offer an opportunity to meet other delegates with similar interests and concerns. Delegates self-select into groups based on broad thematic areas and then engage in extended discussion about the issues and concerns they feel are of utmost importance to that segment of the Research Network. Participation is open, encouraged, and supported.

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TALKING CIRCLES

Purpose: Talking Circles are meant to give shape to a conference that is wide-ranging in its scope and broad-minded in its interests. They give people an opportunity to interact around the key ideas of the conference away from the formalities of the plenary, paper, poster, focused discussion, workshop, and colloquium sessions. 

Talking Circles I: Held on the first day of the conference, Talking Circles offer an early opportunity to meet other delegates with similar interests and concerns. Delegates self-select into groups based on broad thematic areas and introduce themselves and their research interests to one another.

• Sit or pull chairs around in a circle to face one another.
• Allow members of the group to briefly introduce themselves and their research. 

·       The emerging scholar facilitating should encourage open dialogue and ensure a collegial and respectful conversation. 

o   Questions to assist discussion:

§  Who are you? Where are you from? Are you presenting? What is your interest in this thematic area?

§  What is the territory, or scope, or landscape of this thematic area?

§  What are the burning issues, the key questions for this theme?

§  What are the forces or drivers that will affect us as professionals, thinkers, citizens, and aware and concerned people whose focus is this particular theme?

§  What are the future directions (in research, in theory-building, in practice) for this thematic area?