2018 Conference

Individual Paper Presentation

From environmental challenges to social justice issues, there is a growing sense of fatalism about the capacity to make meaningful changes in the political, economic, and cultural realms alike. The juxtaposition of deeply rooted "wicked problems" and dysfunctional governance fosters a sense of disbelief and disempowerment, leaving a toxic combination of fear and desensitization in its wake. Increasingly, talking about these subjects can bring retorts of "it’s too late anyway" and other similar expressions of resignation to the inevitable; and equally palpable is that science may be approaching a similar conclusion. We can deflect this sensibility or choose to reject it, but that doesn't change either its possible veracity or its impact on a growing segment of the populace. In the face of mounting and converging social and environmental crises, how can we work toward meaningful engagement and develop tools for potential transformation? How can we connect with students—indeed, all people—searching for authentic responses to seemingly intractable problems, charting a middle path between overly optimistic pablum and incapacitating doomsday-ism? Arising from collaborative, interdisciplinary pedagogy and scholarship, this interactive presentation will squarely frame the inquiry without yielding to fatalism or trivialism in the process. We welcome all perspectives as part of this emerging discussion.