Charity No
313712
Society for the Furtherance of Critical Philosophy
News Bulletin 8 – December 2004Contents
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Charity No.
313712
Trustees Keith
Hammond Tamsyn
Imison Dorothy
Moir Kate
Nathoo Rene
Saran Administrator
and Treasurer Keith
Martin Honorary
Fellows
Fernando
Leal Patricia
Shipley Contact
us Dr Rene Saran 22
Kings Gardens London NW6
4PU United
Kingdom Tel:
00 44 (0) 20 7328 1286 Fax:
00 44 (0) 20 7328 2552 e-mail:
rene.saran@sfcp.org.uk Visit our website www.sfcp.org.uk |
SFCP strengthens
working partnerships in 2004
SFCP continued to develop
exciting working partnerships with other organisations throughout 2004
including the British Council, the
United World Youth Council, Eltham Green School (Greenwich, London), the
Quakers, BELMAS (British
Educational Leadership, Management & Administration Society), and
Glasgow University. Many
of the Society’s activities in 2004 arose directly from the 4th
International Conference held in Birmingham in 2002, and both the SFCP and
the Philosophical-Political Academy (PPA) in Germany have since
strengthened their contacts with colleagues from Eastern and South-Eastern
Europe, including Bosnia, Belarus, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria
and the Russian Federation of Kaliningrad. For several years SFCP has
cooperated with the University of Sarajevo (Bosnia), and in 2004 two pilot
Socratic Dialogue (SD) activities were supported by SFCP in Lithuania and
Bulgaria. Similarly, PPA
continues to develop well-established links with two universities in Minsk
(Belarus) and Karls University in Prague (Czech Republic).
The SFCP Trustees are presently
updating the Society’s development plan for 2005-2006, and plan to
build-on and develop recent activities and working partnerships. A new
SFCP Ethical Charter statement is also in preparation and aims to set out
the watermarks of the Society. Exciting plans for next year are already taking shape and SFCP is presently planning a Socratic Dialogue in partnership with Glasgow University. The SD will be held at Newbattle Abbey, near Edinburgh, (Scotland) and has already attracted interest from over 35 individuals and the venue has been fully booked. |
BELMASSocratic Dialogue
SFCP
trustees Dorothy Moir and Rene Saran facilitated two short taster Socratic
Dialogue sessions of two hours each at the Annual Conference of BELMAS
(British Educational
Leadership, Management & Administration Society) held
in October at Stone in Staffordshire. The question addressed was “How
can leaders survive mistakes?” and proved very successful in stimulating
a lively dialogue. |
first UK-based
training COURSE IN Socratic Facilitation
In June and July 2004, SFCP ran its first UK-based
training course in the facilitation of Socratic Dialogue at Claridge
House, a Quaker centre situated in
the small Surrey village of Dormansland. The
training course on the ‘Socratic Approach to Learning and Training’
ran over three linked residential weekends. It was piloted in partnership
with Eltham Green School and sought to extend the use of the Socratic
Method of dialogue in the United Kingdom. The
course, delivered by experienced Socratic facilitators Kirsten Malmquist
and Nigel Laurie, aimed to equip participants with the skills to integrate
the Socratic approach into their own working practice. The focus was on
practical experience in planning, organizing and facilitating a Socratic
Dialogue. The
nine-day course was designed to be a springboard for those wanting to
train further as Socratic facilitators and a spur for the innovative
adaptation of the Socratic approach to ‘real world’ situations. The
Eltham Green School staff and the other course participants strongly
agreed that the training programme had highlighted the considerable
potential of the Socratic approach to situations both in and outside the
classroom. SFCP plans to promote further training in the facilitation of Socratic Dialogue in the future. Several participants of the Claridge House training course have already adopted mentors to support and further their training. Full training involves experience as a participant in several dialogues (including an ethical/social/political, mathematical and an epistemological topic); writing one or more reports of Socratic Dialogues facilitated by a well-practised facilitator, and facilitating a Socratic Dialogue supported by one’s mentor. |
Berlin Conference reflects on the renewal and development of civil society
across Europe
In
July 2004, SFCP and PPA brought together a small circle of participants
from various European countries for the exchange of ideas and
clarification of the contribution Critical Philosophy and Socratic
Dialogue could make to the renewal and development of civil society across
Europe. The
Berlin conference offered representatives from various countries the
opportunity to exchange their experiences of political and Socratic work
against the background of different political and organisational
conditions and aimed to identify possibilities for future international
cooperation. The
conference focussed on the political situation in both Belarus and Bosnia,
and as the discussions developed the role of SD was seen as a democratic
and non-hierarchical form of learning and as a form of communication
between equals. It
became clear that the PPA project in Belarus could infuse a democratic
culture into the system of teaching and learning, and that this project
should, if possible, continue to 2006. Professor
Ugo Vlaisavljevic (University of Sarajevo) gave an impressive lecture
about the Balkan states having missed out in their history on a democratic
and civic identity, and the conference went on to familiarise itself with
EU projects in East and South-East Europe and especially with the
procedures and conditions applicable for securing EU support.
The
22 conference members came from eleven countries and the majority had
prior experience of SD and had participated in the PPA/SFCP International
conferences and workshops during recent years. In
three workshops, participants exchanged views about the role of SD, of law
and the state, and of a culture of voluntary work in the renewal of civil
society in the old EU countries and the new ones in East and South-East
Europe Looking to the future, the conference agreed that the principal aim of Socratic and political work in East and South-East Europe is to give an initial impetus for the establishment of democratic structures in educational organisations, and the strengthening of skills in discussion and reflection and the encouragement of critical participation in political discourse. |
SFCP supports pilot Socratic
Dialogue activities in Bulgaria and Lithuania
This year SFCP supported two landmark pilot Socratic Dialogue activities
in East Europe including a two-day SD at the First English Language School in Sofia, Bulgaria, and three-day
dialogue in Druskininkai, Lithuania -organized by the British Council in Vilnius. Bulgarian SD The Bulgarian SD was initiated by Professor Aneta Karageorgieva,
Professor of Epistemology at Sofia University and a founder member of the
Bulgarian Association for the
Advancement of Philosophy with Children. Professor Karageorgieva was a
participant at the Birmingham 2002 International conference, and after
gaining experience of Socratic Dialogue in the UK and Germany she
concluded that the use of the Socratic Method could significantly benefit
Bulgarian education. SFCP (UK) and PPA (Germany)
supported the Bulgarian project and Rene Saran and Dieter Krohn conducted
Socratic Dialogues at the English and German Language Schools in Sofia.
The SDs were enthusiastically attended and successful in both schools. Some preliminary discussions have already taken place
with Ministry of Education representatives and another Professor of
Philosophy (Valentin Kanavrov, South-West University, Blagoevgrad) about
future projects. It is hoped that future projects will assist teachers in
Bulgaria to use in their professional practice aspects of the Socratic
Method and lead on to some teachers training as Socratic facilitators. Lithuanian SD Dr Grazina Miniotaite, Senior Research Fellow at the
Lithuanian Institute of Philosophy, Culture and Art, was another
participant at the Birmingham conference in 2002, and following the
conference she sent a report to the British Council in Vilnius and was
successful in persuading them to sponsor a pilot Socratic Dialogue project
in Lithuania. Danguole Kizniene (Projects Manager for Education,
Governance and Science, British Council Lithuania) initiated the project
and invited Rene Saran to Lithuania to facilitate a three-day residential
SD seminar for teachers drawn from Schools and Universities across the
country. The topic of the Socratic Dialogue was “What is a
good citizen?” Full
reports of the Bulgarian and the Lithuanian SDs are available in the news
section of the forthcoming Occasional Working Papers in Ethics and the
Critical Philosophy Volume 3, edited by Patricia Shipley and Heidi Mason
for SFCP. To order a copy contact Keith Martin Tel: 00 44 (0) 20 8445 7850 |
SFCP forges working partnership
with United World Youth Council
SFCP was recently introduced to the United
World Youth Council (Fontainebleau Youth Foundation) by Celia Hawkesworth,
who recognised that our organisations share many of the same aims. The
SFCP trustees, in acknowledgement of common aims, have since made a small
grant to support the Council’s work. SFCP’s Tamsyn Imison and Rene Saran were
invited to a gathering of about 150 young people and their teachers
organised by the UWYC. Tamsyn gave a short presentation to a plenum
session and Rene facilitated a Socratic Dialogue on the topic of
citizenship with the teachers' group. The UWYC invites young people from every
country in the world to participate in a unique educational project which
combines advocacy for peace, mutual respect and understanding as well as a
practical experience of democracy. The UWYC is an interactive, hands-on educational
programme designed to foster mutual understanding, respect and tolerance
between young people aged 16-19. Inviting
participants from all over the world to a week-long meeting, UWYC offers a
practical, positive learning experience.
It provides an opportunity to appreciate difference and change
traditional attitudes, through informal dialogue and respect for
individual cultural identity. Participants
learn about the socio-economic situations of other countries and are
informed about their rights as well as their responsibilities.
They are encouraged to become responsible citizens and participate
actively in shaping the future. By
increasing their confidence and providing them with the tools to face
challenges and transform problems into solutions, the programme aims to
contribute to global peace and manage globalisation for good, giving hope
and encouragement to all young people. Much of
the focus of the council is on team-building...and in small discussion
groups, by maintaining the principle of only one representative of each
nationality, students are encouraged to pool different perspectives and
participate actively in committee discussion, articulating opinions and
debating an issue in order to reach a broad consensus. For
further information contact: United World Youth Council,
(Fontainebleau Youth Foundation) Whitney House, 17 West End, OXFORD, OX28 1NQ Telephone: 01993-709950 |
Friendships
flourish at Würzburg Dialogues
It has become a tradition that our German
sister organisation GSP/PPA include an English-speaking Socratic Dialogue
in their annual programme. This arrangement enables UK participants to
work alongside colleagues from other countries. As our German friends are
at present more experienced in training SD facilitators, it also enables
UK trainees to gain valuable experience. Over the Easter period in 2003 and 2004,
Dorothy Moir facilitated one-week dialogues at the Akademie Frankenwarte
Education Centre in Würzburg, Southern Germany on the questions ‘How do
we recognise an irresponsible act?’ and ‘What is my duty to my
community?’ “What is Friendship?” was the question on
everybody’s mind at a recent Socratic Dialogue facilitated by Kirsten
Malmsquist. The question provoked a dialogue that was lively, passionate
and at times also very testing and complex. Although there was no
consensus by the end of the weekend dialogue, participants were generally
very encouraged by their experience.
“Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life” (Unknown) |
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Visit the SFCP website for more detailed information and latest news, reports on Socratic Dialogues, extracts from SFCP publications, news about forthcoming events and much more. www.sfcp.org.uk Please notify us of your contact details. Put SFCP in the Subject Field. We would appreciate receiving your up-to-date home & e-mail address.
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Forthcoming Activities 2005 |
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January28th- 30th |
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March18th-24th |
Socratic Dialogue Würzburg, Germany Easter
2005
Dieter Krohn will be facilitating a Socratic Dialogue
in English at the Akademie Frankenwarte Education Centre in Würzburg,
Southern Germany. The Residential Education Centre belongs to the
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Institute and is set upon a wooded hill
overlooking the baroque beauty of Würzburg. For further information contact Paul Penny 00 44 (0) 20 8518 8515 |
AprilSaturday 23rd |
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July25th-29th |
5th International Conference
THE CHALLENGE OF DIALOGUE Socratic Dialogue and Other Forms of Dialogue in
Different Political Systems and Cultures. At ver.di – Bildungs- und
Begegnungszentrum Clara Sahlberg, Berlin-Wannsee, Germany Conference will comprise workshops, papers, panel
discussions and actual dialogues. The Conference language will be English.
Proposals for papers and workshops are invited on the
following subjects:
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August19th-21st |
Claridge House SD
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LATEST SFCP
PUBLICATIONS
This
year (2004) SFCP has published two key volumes: Ethics and Socratic
Dialogue in Civil Society Edited
by Patricia Shipley and Heidi Mason, published by LIT Verlag (Munster),
and Enquiring Minds - Socratic Dialogue in Education, Edited by Rene Saran
and Barbara Neisser and published jointly by Trentham Books, SFCP and PPA. |
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Ethics and Socratic Dialogue in Civil Society
Edited by Patricia Shipley and Heidi Mason What is the role of civil society in a modern
democracy? How can we build a common identity in today’s fragmented
societies? What can be done to counteract the growing disillusionment with
representative forms of government and diminishing participation in formal
political systems? How might dialogue be used as a tool to foster
understanding both within and between nations and cultures?
This new volume represents a concerted attempt to think through the difficult and urgent issues facing civil society today. It considers the potential role of dialogue, especially modern Socratic Dialogue, to help to answer some of the ethical questions and issues arising in civil society. Retail Price
£17 (€25) Special price discount of £7/10 Euros on orders placed through SFCP (whilst stocks last)
Orders to:
Keith Martin, SFCP, 148
Friern Park, London N12
9LU, UK. Tel and Fax:
00 44 (0)20 8445 7850 |
Enquiring Minds: Socratic Dialogue in Education
Edited by Rene Saran and Barbara Neisser This introductory book, for the first time, offers access in English to the most important theoretical underpinnings of modern Socratic Dialogue as a self-directed learning process. The work will be of interest to all those working in education, especially teachers of philosophy, ethics, religious studies and mathematics. Central to the Socratic Method are the opportunities it gives educators and others to
Normal Retail Price £18.99 (€28) Special Price Discount on orders placed through SFCP
£15/23 Euros for single orders and bulk discounts for larger orders
(whilst stocks last) Orders
to: Keith Martin, SFCP,
148 Friern Park, London
N12 9LU, UK. Tel
and Fax: 00 44 (0)20 8445 7850 |
OCCASIONAL WORKING PAPERS VOLUME 3TO BE PUBLISHED EARLY 2005In 1998, we established our Occasional Working Papers in Ethics and Critical Philosophy. Articles in Volume 1 discussed ethical standards in the public and private sectors in the UK; the place of ethics in the new information technology; the future of the Critical Philosophy and the link between it and the Socratic Dialogue, and included an English translation of Nelson`s essay on the Socratic Method. Volume 2 was published in 2000 and included contributions such as:
DETAILS OF
OCCASIONAL WORKING PAPERS IN ETHICS AND THE CRITICAL PHILOSOPHY - VOLUME 3
Edited by
Patricia Shipley and Heidi Mason
SFCP is
pleased to announce that OWP Volume 3, edited by Patricia Shipley and
Heidi Mason, will be available early 2005. The centrepiece will be a
fascinating analysis of some of the work of Grete Henry-Hermann by the
French philosopher of science, Léna Soler. Grete Henry-Hermann’s work
tackled key issues around the relationship between Kantian philosophy and
quantum physics, and this paper will introduce her work to our
contemporary readers. Preceding this contribution the British historian
Lawrence Black discusses the linkages between British and German
Socialists, and in this vein we then include an interview with the
long-standing PPA member whose life has been emblematic of these links –
the German socialist labour historian, Susie Miller. We also
introduce a new Socratic Dialogue ‘critical corner’, which we hope
will stimulate renewed discussion about the future of SD and other forms
of structured dialogue. Readers can keep up with the latest SD events and
recent books in our news and reviews sections, where Rene Saran and
Barbara Neisser discuss recent collaborations between colleagues in
Eastern and Western Europe. Reviews will include an important essay On the
Fries–Nelson tradition by Professor Fernando Leal. We hope that these
new papers will fulfil the OWP series’ objective of stimulating relevant
dialogue and discussion. We look forward to your feedback. CONTENTS
Part One: History
‘The Labour
Party and the SPD: British and German Democratic Socialism – Brothers in
Arms or at Arms?’ Lawrence
Black Susie
Miller in conversation with Patricia Shipley ‘The
Contributions of Grete Henry-Hermann to the Philosophy of Physics’ Léna
Soler Part Two: Socratic Dialogue
Part Three: Reviews
Part Four: News and Reports
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… TO ORDER YOUR COPY CONTACT
KEITH MARTIN
Tel: 00 44 (0)20 8445 7850 e-mail: keith.martin18@btinternet.com |
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