Dear Susan,
Great!
I really hope that my paper can have this catalytic influence that you
describe. It can now be viewed on the Society-Education page at
www.bestthinking.com and it would be good if members of this list could
visit and comment if they wish.
In some personal correspondence yesterday, prompted by a very moving message
from one of my 'Life, Environment and People' students (see attached
transcript, also pasted below), I included the following paragraph:
"natural inclusionality (which I think of both as a source of 'compassionate
wisdom' and an acknowledgement of how the natural world actually is, freed
from super-imposed human frameworks and ideologies) is not a hegemonic
philosophy, but one which Jack and I increasingly see providing for a living
logic and language which serves and expresses the aspirations of AR in a way
that is consistent with evidence and makes consistent sense. Obviously, very
few people have understood the profoundly radical foundations and
implications of natural inclusionality as yet, including - so far as I can
tell - most members of the list, so there is a need for rehearsal and
refinement of our explications whilst remaining mindful that many may not be
ready or willing to open the door across the threshold, for the variety of
logical, cognitive, fear-full, mathematical and linguistic reasons that I
identify in my draft keynote paper. By its very nature, natural
inclusionality does not oppose what I see as more partial and less radical
approaches to AR. Ultimately, though, I do see AR (in which I am a novice)
as providing a birth channel for NI in which mother and baby can be proud of
one another and express themselves coherently as an influence for
compassionate wisdom in a distressed world."
In saying this, however, I don't assume that my understandings and
explications are necessarily sound - they are simply what currently makes
sense to me.
I think this relates also to your comment:
"What I am picking up here is that uniquely, I would suggest, AR has
legitimate powers to interrogate the philosophy/culture that underpins truth
as observed/held by participants.
Where the ethics, aesthetics and philosophies of knowing are open to
participation, then these ontological views are able to be questioned and
co-created... And PAR has a wonderful place in the cosmos of legitimately
destabilising these planetary presumptions...."
Warmest
Alan
--------------------------------------------
Dear Alan
Thank you. To have been taught by you in the past few months has been an
incredible experience. And I am truly grateful to you and whatever it was
that led me to your class. To be in the presence of your compassionate
wisdom, is a blessing. All Academic work has a negative effect on my health.
But this course has offered a positive dimension, and it is so hard to
express how much such a philosophy has guided me and strengthened my mind
and heart in such a hard time in my life. I want to give you this CD as a
present to say thank you. But also to share with you what first helped me to
become loosely Attuned to the Transfigural. It was when listening to this
that I began to feel the music exist within space, that encovered me and I
felt the music exist within me as well as the space around. So much so that
I felt myself blending to my surroundings, and the music was a continuous
flow through me. If space holds music, how can it be nothingness?
Something clicked in my mind, and to hear you talk about it was magical.
Thank you
----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Goff" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:45 PM
Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's
8th World Congress
> Just dipping in Alan .. In haste and in passing!... Yes - my sense is we
> are
> growing energy for engagement on many "fronts" of the imminent lip of
> being
> (together), we are creating new language with creates new spaces for
> worlds
> and relationships to emerge, new connections and flow throughs, into and
> from... which if you publish the draft now it will add to this in a very
> substantial way - and perhaps inspire other significant philosophical
> propositions to also come forward. As your paper is continually changing
> with your ongoing journey into the emerging dynamic that the Congress is
> creating, inevitably another version of it will develop for publication
> after the Congress event so there is no concern from me that thee will be
> issues with publication rights. We are all aware of time and timing...
> Lets
> nourish the possibilities with whatever we have here and now... It is such
> a
> wonderful opportunity
>
> Keep is in the loop with any feedback you get????
> Warmest
> Susan
>
>
>
>
> On 11/05/10 2:03 PM, "Jacques" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> I'd have no qualms with the bestthinking idea, dear Alan... especially if
>> you could insert a bit of advertising for the Congress and encourage
>> people
>> to come!
>>
>> Best to all
>> Jacques
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Practitioner-Researcher
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alan Rayner
>> (BU)
>> Sent: Sunday, 9 May 2010 7:24 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's
>> 8th World Congress
>>
>> Dear Jacques, Bob, Nathalis and all,
>>
>> I really do hope that my keynote presentation at ALARA next September,
>> and
>> the draft paper that I have written - and am continually revising in
>> response to comments and conversation - in preparation for it, can help
>> to
>> prepare the way for this more circumspect (!) language and form of
>> reasoning
>>
>> to emerge.
>>
>> Perhaps I should publish the draft paper on the www.bestthinking.com
>> site,
>> where it is open to editing suggestions? What do you think?
>>
>> Warmest
>>
>> Alan
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jacques" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 5:23 AM
>> Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's
>> 8th World Congress
>>
>>
>>> 'amen' to that, dear Bob... I usually use the word 'circumscription' to
>>> replace 'definition' as it resonates well with the 'perambulation' idea
>>> of
>>> walking alongside others and 'narrating' the experience of the
>>> 'landscape'... indeed, it IS important to change our metaphors and other
>>> language when we do this kind of work even if it means that other have
>>> to
>>> agree to give that other language a chance...
>>> Love to all
>>>
>>> Jacques
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Practitioner-Researcher
>>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bob Dick
>>> Sent: Saturday, 8 May 2010 7:18 PM
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for
>>> ALARA's
>>> 8th World Congress
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Speaking only for myself, here are a few comments on the issue of
>>> "what is action research?".
>>>
>>>
>>> For the most part I avoid debates about definitions. I do this
>>> because for the most part I don't think they are important. To my
>>> mind, meaning is more usefully negotiated than defined.
>>>
>>> It IS important though, I believe, to recognise when we use
>>> different words to describe the same "reality". And it's important
>>> to be aware that we use the same word with different meanings.
>>>
>>> (In case you're wondering, yes, I do think there is reality. I
>>> stick it in quotes only because I suspect some of you doubt its
>>> existence. In an action research study, "reality" is whatever I'm
>>> trying to help people to improve.)
>>>
>>> To my mind that doesn't mean that one definition or the other is
>>> correct. It means we have some listening and some negotiation to do
>>> before we can communicate meaningfully.
>>>
>>>
>>> Then there's the issue about what counts as action research.
>>> Personally, I don't expect the boundary around a meaning to be
>>> precise.
>>>
>>> Language requires us to chop the world up into pieces that can be
>>> labelled. Life would presumably be easier if it didn't; but that's
>>> how it is, I think. I find it useful to be mindful of this, and to
>>> assume that in "reality" the boundaries are fuzzy.
>>>
>>> The boundaries exist, I think. It's just that they aren't clear or
>>> precise.
>>>
>>> For me, there are some varieties of AR that are probably similar
>>> enough and common enough to be regarded as mainstream. Other
>>> varieties are nearer to the boundary. There may be some AR-like
>>> processes sitting outside the boundary.
>>>
>>> I suspect I've learned more from some of the varieties near the
>>> boundary than from the mainstream. I'm thinking, for instance, of
>>> some of the soft systems approaches, or appreciative inquiry. Or
>>> (to move beyond the boundary perhaps) participative evaluation.
>>>
>>> On occasion I've had reason to be pleased that I have had some
>>> training and experience as a laboratory experimentalist. It gives
>>> me an additional and different perspective on research and change.
>>>
>>> In addition, it seems to me that every AR or AL study I'm involved
>>> in is unique.
>>>
>>> So for me there is some irony in the proliferation of labels for the
>>> different varieties. Personally, I don't know what an action
>>> research study is going to be like until it's over. It keeps
>>> morphing. If I labelled every variation I'd multiply the labels
>>> already available. That doesn't seem useful.
>>>
>>>
>>> Very occasionally I even wonder if the term "action research" is
>>> useful. :-)
>>>
>>> On the other hand I do think your planned exercise is useful,
>>> Margaret, provided it isn't intended to be definitive.
>>>
>>> Cheers -- Bob
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> +- Bob Dick ------------------------------------------------------+
>>> | bd at uqconnect.net http://www.uqconnect.net/action_research/ |
>>> +-----------------------------------------------------------------+
>>>
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>>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
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>>>
>>
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