Dear Colleagues:

Since 1996 the UMass Boston Graduate Programs in Dispute Resolution have hosted a biennial conference specifically for graduate students studying conflict in a wide range of disciplines. “Conflict Studies: The New Generation of Ideas” is a unique event that provides a forum for graduate students to present their work and receive feedback from scholars, practitioners, and peers.  Previous conferences have each attracted over 150 participants from universities across the US, Canada and from numerous international locations.  See http://www.disres.umb.edu/conference.php for programs and papers from prior conferences.

This year’s conference is scheduled for October 22 & 23, 2010, and we’d like to invite you and your students to take part -- as participants and as active organizers. There are a number of ways that you can get involved:

            Actively encourage your students to submit papers and/or attend the conference

This is a great opportunity for students to get presentation experience and network with others with similar interests.  And it’s a great time of year to visit Boston! 

Organize a Panel*

Is there a topic that you or your students are currently working on? You can organize a group of 3-5 students to present papers that explore aspects of that topic.  

Host an event during the conference

Has your program developed an interesting approach that you’d like to showcase? Is there a skill-building exercise or case study you’d like to share?  Or maybe a group of your students have a great improv troupe or blues band.  Let us know – we’re open to [almost] anything you’d like to suggest.

Moderate a Panel

Commit to joining us in Boston next fall as a moderator; you can specify topics that you’d be comfortable with or leave the assignment to us. We’ll send you abstracts of student papers at least 2 weeks prior to the conference so that you have an opportunity to formulate discussion questions.

            Please get back to us by February 23^rd if at all possible, if only with a preliminary reaction; details can be worked out later.  We plan to send out the Call for Papers in early March, with a response deadline at the end of April.

            Contact either of us with any questions or suggestions.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Eben Weitzman                                                                         Roni Lipton

Graduate Program Director                                                         Associate Director

eben.weitzman@umb.edu                                                           roni.lipton@umb.edu

617-287-7238                                                                             617-287-7415

* A note about panels: At each prior conference we have had a total of 12 such panels; four concurrent panels taking place in 3 different sessions of 2.5 hours each. Each panel has had 4 -5 students presenting for approximately 15 minutes each, with time allotted for questions and discussion moderated by a faculty member or expert practitioner. We anticipate using a similar structure for the upcoming conference, but are open to suggestions for different approaches.

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