XIVth Biennial Conference of the

European Personal Construct Association (EPCA)
July 5th to 8th, 2018
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University of Edinburgh
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Call for contributions


Developing Sociality in the 21st Century

Sociality is a profound concept introduced by George Kelly in 1955. It involves the ability to “get into the shoes” of another person or group, to be able to construe how they see the world and their situation, their language and actions, using their understandings, constructs and values. It is much more than empathy. When persons or groups construe each other’s worlds, it allows them to create a relationship and a dialogue of mutual understanding. Sociality is essential for functional human relating between people, organisations, factions and ideologies. One might argue that problems of the 21st century -- the serious breakdown in cooperation at all levels from family and work situations, the schisms, deadlocks and totalitarianism in the international scene – are problems of sociality. Failure or unwillingness to understand another person or group’s perspectives leads to judgmentalism, misplaced advice, disempowerment, discrimination, social unrest and violence. Sociality therefore takes on ethical and political dimensions: We should try and achieve and promote Sociality. 

In this conference we will explore radical ways of addressing these issues: connectivity, mutual understanding, shared values and bringing humanitarian dimensions to discussions about people, communities and families, for example those displaced and torn apart by conflict. These values, of course, contrast sharply with those that usually dominate public and media discourse. We approach this subject through the lenses and methods of Personal Construct Psychology and Kelly’s profound notion of Sociality, his key contribution to an understanding of well-functioning human relationships.

Personal Construct Psychology provides us with a number of methods and approaches designed to understand disputes, to promote Sociality and to monitor and measure increased mutual understanding. The Conference will provide various platforms for learning about these including keynote addresses, research presentations, discussions, practical workshops and of course the general networking with people from many different countries and disciplines. There is no more important time in this new century, with its bewildering and accelerating changes, for promoting Sociality. We would like to see delegates from all relevant disciplines and organisations including professionals, researchers, teachers and students to come and present their experiences and research.

We invite presentations and papers which address the conference theme of Sociality in the 21st Century and its conceptualisations as well as applications in various fields within and outside Personal Construct Psychology. These may include but are not limited to:
  • Applications of sociality to organisational, managerial, educational and clinical situations
  • Conflict and dispute resolution in families, teams and neighbourhoods
  • Promoting diversity and inclusion in communities and organisations
  • Socialisation of displaced groups and individuals into new environments
  • Refugee crisis management and resolution.
Types of presentation:
  • Paper (30 minutes + 10 minutes for discussion)
  • Symposium
    • 40 minutes
    • 85 minutes
  • Workshop
    • 40 minutes
    • 85 minutes
  • Poster

Please send abstracts of contributions

to harryprocter20@gmail.com

using
this form


expired






Sponsored by  
George Kelly  Society  &  Personal Construct Psychology Association

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