PHILOSOPHY of EDUCATION SOCIETY

February 2009 Update

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President's Message: By David Hansen

A soon-to-be welcome to the international city of Montreal! I hope you have made plans to join us for the Annual Meeting that convenes at the Montreal Hyatt this March 20-23, 2009.

We have an exceptional program of concurrent and general sessions put together by Program Chair Debby Kerdeman and her committee.  Please see her note below for updates on the program, including on our annual George F. Kneller Lecture to be given by Professor Paul Taylor, on a special presentation on ethics and religious culture in Quebec organized by David Waddington, and on our celebration of the career of our colleague Walter Feinberg.  Also, there will be a session where Bob Floden, Craig Cunningham, and colleagues on the Focus Group examining “the public face” of the Society will be presenting the results of their year-long inquiry (for background see last year’s July Newsletter under “Archives” on our web site).  All are invited to this session which should be informative and generative.  In addition to these and numerous other sessions, there will be an array of receptions and other opportunities to catch up with colleagues and friends – always a treasured aspect of the annual meeting.

Meantime, please be sure to contact the Montreal Hyatt as soon as possible to reserve your accommodations.  Our Hospitality Chair, Kevin McDonough, has further information on this below.

I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Amicalement/ best wishes,

David Hansen
President

Program Chair's Message - Deborah Kerdeman

2009 Abstracts

The 2009 Preliminary Program is now available.  Three general sessions and twenty-seven concurrent paper sessions will engage you in stimulating intellectual conversation.  An array of alternative sessions, book panels, and “work-in-progress” discussions will introduce you to innovative ideas and open doors to new friendships.  Other program highlights include:

• David Hansen’s Presidential Address: “Walking With Diogenes: Cosmopolitan Accents in Philosophy and Education.”  Luise Prior McCarty and Shirley Pendlebury will respond to David’s Address;

• The 2009 Kneller lecture by Paul Taylor of Temple University: “Art, Education, and Witness; or, How to Make Our Ideals Clear.”  Sharon Bailin and Ann Diller will respond;

• An opportunity for students to participate in a Saturday evening conversation with our 2009 Kneller lecturer, Paul Taylor.  This event is sponsored by GSCOPE, the Graduate Student Conference of Philosophers of Education;

• A celebration of Walter Feinberg’s career during the Presidential Luncheon, organized by Sophie Hartounian-Gordon;

• A chance to learn about Quebec’s new controversial program on “Ethics and Religious Culture,” presented by Daniel Weinstock, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Research on Ethics at the University of Montreal;

• An opportunity to hear from the Presidential Task Force that has been considering “The Public Face of PES.”  This is your chance to learn what the Task Force has accomplished and to offer your own comments and suggestions as they proceed in their work;  

• Breakfasts and programs that give you an opportunity to become involved with the Standing Committees and SIG’s of PES: COSW, COPA, Membership, Jobs, Ethics, Religion and Spirituality, and an ad hoc committee on the formation of a new committee on Race and Ethnicity.  

Please note: notification has been sent to everyone who submitted a primary paper, alternative session proposal, or proposal for a work-in-progress.  It has come to our attention that due to a glitch with OJS, some people did not receive a notification email from me.  If you have not yet heard about your submission, it means that you are among the people who were affected by the problem with OJS.  Please contact me at my University of Washington email address: kerdeman@u.washington.edu.

PES 2009 could not happen without the tremendous work of this year’s Program Committee, who carefully reviewed all submissions and provided insightful feedback to authors.  Thanks also to Jeff Milligan, David Hansen, Kevin McDonough, and the PES Board for their leadership and support and to Joyce Atkinson and Jeff Thibert of OJS.  Finally, an enormous thanks to all of you who submitted papers and proposals, offered to serve as respondents and chairs, and promote the vitality of PES in countless ways.  It has been an honor to serve as your Program Chair this year.  I look forward to seeing you in Montreal!

Hospitality Committee - Kevin McDonough

While the March weather in Montreal can be unpredictable (see below!), abundant opportunities for enjoyment and fun are guaranteed.   PES in 2009 promises to be a rewarding and enriching event.  When you’re not engrossed in the exciting Conference Program put together by Debby Kerdeman, you can easily take advantage of the city’s rich, cosmopolitan smorgasbord – most of which is within walking distance of the hotel.  Highlights include the most interesting and vibrant neighborhoods in the city – Old Montreal and le Vieux Port; Chinatown; Le Plateau Montreal and current trend-leader Mile End (home to Leonard Cohen, members of The Arcade Fire and yours truly, among others!).  Those wishing to experiment with restaurants specializing in trendy, experimental Quebecois cuisine or a rich array of authentic ethnic restaurants will want to focus on Le Plateau and Mile End.  If traditional elegance suits your style and mood (and budget!) then Old Montreal and Centre-Ville (especially Crescent Street) will be your destination.  Dedicated foodies may be interested in googling ‘Gourmet Magazine March 2006 issue’, which is devoted exclusively to Montreal’s food culture.  Though a bit dated, much of the information in the issue will apply.  For a sample check out http://www.montrealfood.com/gourmet.html

Relatedly, there are extensive bike and jogging paths that run along the Lachine Canal from the Old Port to the West Island (take note foodies mentioned above; also those in training for triathlon competitions). 

A note on the weather.  Late March is often a time when the sun emerges with a warmth not experienced since the previous summer.  If we’re lucky, we’ll be dining in short sleeves on open terraces.  If we’re unlucky, March can bring a last ditch blast of winter – including snow, rain and/or freezing rain   It’s a good idea to come prepared.  (I am a firm believer in ‘reverse meteorological psychology’!).  Nevertheless, being cautious and prudent planners, our location for this year’s conference – Hyatt Montreal (http://montreal.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp) – offers indoor access to the Complexe Desjardins (a full service shopping mall including restaurants, clubs, etc.).  It also provides indoor access to the Metro (public transportation) and the Museum of Contemporary Art.  Additionally, right across Ste. Catherine Street from the hotel is the Place Des Arts – home of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Kent Nagano: Maestro) – and much else besides (http://www.pda.qc.ca/index.en.html).  So whatever the weather may bring, you can be sure that most of Montreal’s charm and joie de vivre will be easily accessible to everyone.  Anyone seeking general information on what the city has to offer can check out the following useful site -- http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/.

This year’s hospitality committee is a generous-spirited group including both PES veterans and relative newcomers.   All of us look forward to making PES members feel welcomed at the conference. Hospitality members include:

Megan Boler, OISE/University of Toronto
Scott Johnston, Queen’s University
Kevin McDonough, McGill University
Bruce Maxwell, Universite de Montreal
Walter Okshevsky, Memorial University
Daniel Vokey, University of British Columbia
David Waddington, Concordia University
Joel Westheimer, University of Ottawa

In addition to our presence at formal events such as the new members’ reception, where we will make a special effort to perform our ‘welcoming’ function, please don’t hesitate to seek us out if you have questions, concerns or are in need of assistance.  Committee members will also be supported by a team of dedicated and intelligent graduate students from McGill University’s Department of Integrated Studies in Education (say that 10 times in a row– fast!). 
Last, but certainly not least, please be sure to reserve your room at the Hyatt Regency Montreal as soon as possible.  There are two methods for doing this. 

  1. You can contact the reservation department at 1.800.361.8234.  Be sure to mention the name of the convention or the block code which is PHLS. T
  2. You can make your reservation at www.hyatt.com.  IMPORTANT:  Select Montreal as the location and then enter in the section group/corporate rate the code : G-PHLS. The letter G is very important.  

We look forward to seeing you at the PES conference in March 2009.

Executive Director's Message - Jeff Milligan

Our conference in Montreal is just around the corner. David Hansen, Debby Kerdeman and Kevin McDonough have organized a wonderful conference in a beautiful city. You will not want to miss this one!

Please remember that the deadline to book rooms at the Hyatt at the conference rate is February 26. Don't put it off. Book your room today!

Student rooms are available at the rate of $25 per night. If you would like to book a room at the student rate, contact me at milligan@coe.fsu.edu right away. I will need your name and payment in advance by February 26.

Conference registration remains open. Click on the following link ( Conference Registration) to register if you have not already done so.

A word about MEMBERSHIP. I would like to thank all of you who renewed your membership in response to my last reminder. I was rather alarmed as our membership at that point was almost half of what it had been the year before. But you stepped up and kept me very busy for a while answering inquiries about and renewing memberships. Thanks! Current membership is still a bit below last year's at this point. I know the economy is terrible, budgets are being cut, and we are all looking for ways to reduce our expenditures, but I hope you won't cut PES. It's a bargain! As always, you can renew your membership right here on our website.

Finally, at the Business Meeting of this year's conference we will discuss and vote upon a proposal to amend our by-laws to create a standing Committee on Race and Ethnicity. The text of the proposal, submitted by Cris Mayo, is as follows:

We propose that PES establish a standing committee to be known as the Committee on Race and Ethnicity (CORE).  The Philosophy of Education Society
has long argued for the necessity of reflecting greater racial and ethnic diversity in the profession as well as supporting work that examines the
relationship between race and philosophy, including the philosophies of racialized communities and traditions. This proposed committee will aid in expanding our areas of inquiry in philosophy of education as well as ensuring our profession represents diverse races and ethnicities. In addition, having a committee to examine the place of race and ethnicity in PES would help to highlight the profession's commitment and open more space on the program to work on race and ethnicity, parallel to the way that COSW helped encourage work on gender.  PES does have a history of making particular issues the work of committees and given the success of COSW, we would hope that our proposed new committee would have a similar effect.  The ad hoc Committee on Race and Ethnicity already has over sixty members, indicating a robust level of interest in this group.

 Announcements, Calls for Papers, and New Books by PES Members

CALLS FOR PAPERS

  • The New England Philosophy of Education Society (NEPES) will hold its 2009 Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 3rd in the Henry Whittemore Library at Framingham State College. They keynote speaker is Dr. Daniel Mulcahy, Professor in the department of Teacher Education in the School of Education and Professional Studies at Central Connecticut State University. The title of his address is Liberal Education and the Vocation to be More Fully Human. Dr. Mulcahy's most recent book, The Educated Person: Toward a New Paradigm for Liberal Education, was published in 2008 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
    NEPES is accepting proposals for additional paper presentations. If interested in presenting at NEPES, please contact Dr. Ana Martinez Aleman at Boston College at ana.aleman.1@bc.edu
  • The International Society for Educational Biography is soliciting proposals for its 25th Annual Conference to be held April 29-May 1, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas. For details visit their website at http://www.edu.yorku.ca/iseb
  • NEW BOOKS BY PES MEMBERS
  • Michael S. Katz, Susan Verducci and Gert Biesta (editors) Education, Democracy and the Moral Life. Springer, 2008.
  • Walter Feinberg and Christopher Lubienski (editors) School Choice Policies and Outcomes: Empirical and Philosophical Perspectives, SUNY, 2008.
  • James VanPatten, History of Education in America, 2007.
  • ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • The Journal of Educational Controversy announces its special issue on "The Hidden Faces of Poverty: Rethinking Poverty and Education." The Volume 3 Number 2 issue is dedicated to Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, who has written the prologue to the issue.  This delayed issue will be online by the end of February at: http://www.wce.wwu.edu/eJournal
  • The Editorial Board of the Journal of Moral Education has opened nominations for Editor of the journal.  Candidates should be available to assume the role of "Editor elect" starting January 2011, and will be responsible for coordinating review of manuscripts submitted that year. During the Editor-elect year, the incoming editor will work with the incumbent editor.  He/she will become "Editor" and assume full responsibility for the journal beginning January 2012 for a five-year term (which may be renewed).  The Journal of Moral Education is an interdisciplinary forum for the consideration of all aspects of moral education and life-span development.  It contains philosophical analyses, reports of empirical research and evaluation of educational strategies. Based on their shared scholarly, professional and global interests, the journal has a formal relationship with the Association for Moral Education.  Now in its 38th year of publication, the JME reaches a diverse and worldwide readership.

    Qualifications: Candidates for the position of Editor should have an academic strength in one of the fields emphasized by the journal and support an interdisciplinary and international perspective on moral education and development. They should be innovative, have an ability to develop with others a vision for the journal and implement that vision, have strong writing and managerial skills, have a significant record of publications in one or more disciplines relevant to the journal, have broad interests, and preferably have prior experience as an editor or editorial board member of scholarly publications.  Candidates should have adequate time available to commit to the duties of Editor and access to institutional, secretarial, and administrative support for running the Journal. ScholarOne software is available to handle and facilitate manuscript submissions and reviews.  The Journal of Moral Education Trust (a UK registered charity) provides limited financial support for Editor.  

    Responsibilities: The Editor of the Journal of Moral Education is responsible for its content and production. The editor works with a diverse editorial board that represents various specialty areas.  The editor establishes guidelines for the review and publication process in order to maintain the highest standards of content for an archival peer-reviewed journal publication, and provide balance across disciplinary areas and specialties. The editor is responsible for liaison with Taylor and Francis in publishing the journalThe editor is expected to use innovative means to solicit manuscripts, such as special issues, guest editorials, and book reviews, and to stimulate lively interest in the journal across a broad audience. 

    Oversight: The editor maintains regular communication with the Chair of the Editorial Board and the Trustees of the governing Trust, submits an annual report on the state of the journal, and works with the Editorial Board and Trust on strategic planning for the journal.  The editor may recommend appointment of associate and/or book review editors for confirmation by the Editorial Board and Trust.

    Search Committee:  Barbara Applebaum, Angela Chi-Ming Lee, Brian Gates, Stephen Thoma (Chair, Editorial Board), and Lawrence Walker.

    Nominations: To be considered for the position or to nominate an individual, please provide a one-page letter of interest/support, a curriculum vita, and a list of referees.  These materials should be submitted to:

    Steve Thoma, Chair
    JME Editor Search Committee
    310 Carmichael Hall
    Box 870231
    The University of Alabama
    Tuscaloosa, AL  35406-0231
    USA
    sthoma@bamaed.ua.edu

    Nominations received by email are preferred.
    Inquiries about the position should be addressed to Steve Thoma
    The deadline for accepting nominations is May 15, 2009

 

CONTACT: PES Executive Cris Mayo
217-333-3673; cmayo@illinois.edu