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Posted on behalf of Prof Robert Young CALL FOR ABSTRACTS The 2nd International Symposium on Ecological Wisdom Austin, Texas, USA, November 17-20, 2016 Co-organizers and sponsors The University of Texas at Austin, USA Tongji University, Shanghai, China East China Normal University, Shanghai, China International Society for Ecological Wisdom Theme: Ecological Wisdom Inspired Urban Resilience: Building Strategies, Tenets, and Practice Symposium: November 17-20, 2016 Venue: The University of Texas at Austin, AT & T Conference Center, 1900 University Ave, Austin, Texas 78705 Symposium organization: The University of Texas at Austin in collaboration with Tongji University and East China Normal University, will host an international symposium entitled: Ecological Wisdom Inspired Urban Resilience Building: Strategies, Tenets, and Practice on November 17-20, 2016 in the city of Austin, Texas, USA. The symposium provides an international forum for transgenerational, transphilosophical, and transdisciplinary explorations; and will feature paper presentations which will later be considered for inclusion in Springer-Nature EcoWISE book series under the same theme. (http://www.springer.com/series/15217) Today, with the world facing steep challenges toward sustainability, ecological wisdom is regaining broader recognition, and being proposed for use in planning, management, and research across social and ecological arenas in the enterprise of achieving urban resilience and sustainability. Urban resilience refers to the capability of an urban socio-ecological system to maintain its level of ecosystem services while undergoing disturbance. Building urban resilience requires recognition, understanding, and appreciation of the complexity of problems and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration. Current urban planning, design, and engineering remains a paradox because it often assumes static project designs promise project success for generations (a “fail-safe”, singular equilibrium). However, truly resilient urban design requires an ecological-wisdom-inspired approach to achieve sustainability that embraces multiple equilibria. Given increasingly complex urban design challenges and uncertainties, ecologically wise urban design anticipates and minimizes failures (“safe-to-fail”) and thus presents a more viable approach to sustainability. Ecological wisdom enhances city designers’ and managers’ ability to make right ethical and political choices in doing (or not doing) certain projects, especially large-scale public projects, for the city’s long-term benefits. Ecological wisdom is acquired by incorporating social and ecological knowledge with site-specific history and practical knowledge in developing strategies, tenets, and action plans. Thus the building of urban resilience can be inspired and guided by ecological wisdom. Papers exploring theoretical frameworks for social-ecosystem planning and management, and the resultant adaptive strategies to operationalize socio-ecological resilience through design and engineering interventions are welcome. In addition, presenters can explore the theoretical core and framework of ecological wisdom research, applicable research methods, and how to make the ideas, principles, strategies, and approaches of ecological wisdom become more actionable and practical. Symposium sub-themes include, but are not limited to: • Ecological wisdom knowledge domain and manifestation • Relationships between ecological wisdom and contemporary science and technology • Exemplary cases and revelations from trans-cultural and transdisciplinary traditions • Theoretical frameworks of ecological wisdom research and practice • Theoretical core of ecological wisdom and research methods (e.g., the nexus of ecological theoretical wisdom—ecosophy and ecological practical wisdom—ecophronesis) • Social-learning in ecological wisdom acquisition and ecophronesis • General principles of ecological wisdom and its application in contemporary landscape planning, design, and management Abstract submission: An extended abstract of 800 words or less with a list of references is due on May 15, 2016 to Ms. Ying Chen, East China Normal University, at ([log in to unmask]). Along with the abstract, an abbreviated curriculum vita of each contributor should also be submitted. Inquiries should be directed to Ms. Ying Chen or the co-Chairs of the symposium organization committee, Dr. Bo Yang, Utah State University, at ([log in to unmask]) or Dr. Robert Young, University of Texas at Austin, at ([log in to unmask]). Important dates: Abstract submission deadline: May 15, 2016 Abstract decision notification: July 15, 2016 Full paper due: November 1, 2016