From miltont@efn.org Wed Oct 16 10:39:35 2002 Received: from mailscan2.cac.washington.edu (mailscan2.cac.washington.edu [140.142.33.16]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.12.1+UW01.12/8.12.1+UW02.09) with SMTP id g9GHdUFD161866 for ; Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:39:30 -0700 Received: FROM mxu0.u.washington.edu BY mailscan2.cac.washington.edu ; Wed Oct 16 10:39:29 2002 -0700 Received: from clavin.efn.org (clavin.efn.org [66.178.136.10]) by mxu0.u.washington.edu (8.12.1+UW01.12/8.12.1+UW02.09) with ESMTP id g9GHdPnw032648 for ; Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:39:26 -0700 Received: from garcia.efn.org (daemon@garcia.efn.org [66.178.136.5]) by clavin.efn.org (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id g9GHdPt27794 for ; Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:39:25 -0700 (PDT) Received: from localhost (miltont@localhost) by garcia.efn.org (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id g9GHdO912745 for ; Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:39:24 -0700 (PDT) X-Authentication-Warning: garcia.efn.org: miltont owned process doing -bs Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 10:39:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Milton Takei To: Indknow Subject: Call for proposals Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=X-UNKNOWN Content-Transfer-Encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE X-Perlmx-Spam: Gauge=XX, Probability=20%, Report="TO_LOCALPART_EQ_REAL, X_AUTH_WARNING" To indknow subscribers: =09I thought that some of you would be interested in the message below. =09=09=09=09=09--Milton Takei ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 16:36:26 -0400 From: Paige West Reply-To: Ecol/Env Anthropology To: EANTH-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: One more try..... Let me try this again....... CALL FOR PROPOSALS BRIDGING SCALES AND EPISTEMOLOGIES: LINKING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE WITH GLOBAL SCIENCE IN MULTI-SCALE ASSESSMENTS DEADLINE: December 20, 2002 We invite you to submit proposals for papers, panels, workshops and other activities as contributions to an international conference, =93Bridging Scales and Epistemologies: Linking Local Knowledge with Global Science in Multi-Scale Assessments,=94 to be held June 23 =96 June 26, 2003 in Kunming, China. The conference is being organized as part of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). The MA is an international scientific assessment on the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. Two pioneering aspects distinguish the MA from past global assessments. First, it is being conducted as a =91multi-scale=92 assessment with integral sub-global assessment components being undertaken at local community, watershed, national and regional scales, in addition to the global scale. Second, it will incorporate both traditional knowledge and scientific information in the assessment process. These two attributes of the MA are fundamentally interrelated. An effective local assessment must rely on traditional knowledge of local ecological and social systems. A global assessment, in turn, must rely on data and information gathered through remote sensing and scientific research. If local and global assessments are to be effectively linked into a multi-scale assessment, then mechanisms must be created that enable these different =91ways of knowing the world=92 (or epistemologies) to be either integrated or coordinated. Actually doing so, however, raises major theoretical and methodological challenges. Exploring those challenges in an interactive and creative manner is the goal of this conference. The conference will involve a wide diversity of people who embody a range of expertise and experience, including individuals involved in the MA, academic scholars, Indigenous peoples, NGOs, and other stakeholders. By facilitating this dialogue, the conference organizers hope to make a significant contribution to both the MA and to the existing literature in these areas. The conference will provide an opportunity to link theory with praxis, since the findings generated during the conference will be put into practice through the work of the MA sub-global assessments. The conference is organized around five themes. Integrating Local Knowledge into Global Scientific Assessments Local (indigenous, traditional, folk) knowledge differs from =93western=94 or =93scientific=94 knowledge in the ways it explains and establishes knowledge claims. Previous scientific assessments have been based on a particular Western epistemology, one that often excludes local knowledges, ignores cultural values, and disregards the needs of local communities. The conference will explore the practical and theoretical challenges to integrating local knowledge with western science. What are the barriers to integrating local knowledge into an assessment process? How can these barriers be overcome? Methodologies for Integrating Data Across Multiple Scales While some data can be =93scaled=94 in a straightforward way (such as population density), many social and ecological variables are non-linear, only have meaning at a particular scale, or rely on qualitative data. The conference will address the challenges that exist in bringing these disparate data together into a coherent picture of global change processes. In what ways can data collected from different regions, scales, methodologies, and knowledge traditions be combined to provide a more accurate and robust assessment of ecosystem health and human well-being? Understanding Cross-Scale Interactions Data collection and analysis generally occurs at a specific scale, limiting our understanding of cross-scale relationships and interactions. The challenge is to capture driving and constraining forces at multiple scales simultaneously. How do we identify, measure, and analyze cross-scale interactions? How do we study the non-linear or unpredictable dynamics created by cross-scale interactions? Designing Better Assessments: Lessons Learned Knowledge is embedded in institutional structures that control what is researched, where it is researched, and how the results are interpreted. The MA provides a unique opportunity to increase our understanding of how the structure of global assessments shapes environmental research and decision-making. How can engaging local stakeholders and listening to local concerns help to catalyse a reconsideration of how scientific assessments are done? What might future assessments look like? Scale and Epistemology Issues in Ecosystem Management Expertise and capacity for ecosystem management vary at different scales=97the skills of an international scientific union are different from those of a local NGO. The challenge is to take advantage of the relative strengths of all stakeholders and to foster linkages among them. How can scientific assessments strengthen the capacity to collect and use both local and scientific knowledge in ecosystem management? How can we connect research activities with local empowerment, capacity-building, and equitable decision-making? CALL FOR PROPOSALS We are accepting abstracts for papers and proposals for panels, workshops, and other activities addressing these major themes. The conference structure will include both academic paper presentations as well as other innovative conference activities. We especially welcome creative approaches that engage conference participants in discussion and/or active problem solving. Criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals include relevance to the meeting themes, scientific merit, applicability to the MA process, and the incorporation of different viewpoints and experiences. Possible contributions include: - Paper Presentations: Authors are invited to submit abstracts for a 20 minute, academic paper presentation. - Panel Presentations: Groups of authors are invited to submit 4-5 papers around a given theme or topic. We especially encourage panels that present contrasting perspectives on an academic debate, a combination of theoretical and applied perspectives, or a collection of =91best practices=92 and =91lessons learned.=92 - Workshops: We are accepting proposals for interactive workshops that encourage the hands-on application of theoretical principles, for example, a workshop on developing future scenarios that incorporate information from multiple scales or perspectives, a demonstration of how to use GIS or other information technologies for research or outreach, or a training session on how to engage indigenous communities in assessment activities. - Innovative Approaches: Be creative! We are looking for cultural performances, story telling, videos, mapping exercises, or other activities that would educate conference participants and/or demonstrate alternative ways of thinking about these issues. Papers and panels presented at the conference will be published in either a special journal issue, as one of the official MA reports, or as part of a Conference Proceedings. Other planned outreach activities include simultaneous web casting of selected sessions, videoconferencing, and video recordings. Proposals must be received on or before Friday, December 20, 2002. All proposals will be peer-reviewed and ranked by selected members of the conference International Advisory Committee (IAC) (Please see www.millenniumassessment.org for a listing of IAC members). Principal authors or organizers will be notified whether proposals have been accepted by January 17, 2003. Please email your proposal to conference@millenniumassessment.org and include the following information: Title of Proposal Principal Organizer or Author (Name, institution or affiliation, address, phone,FAX, e-mail) Co-authors or co-presenters (Names, institution or affiliation, address, phone, FAX, and e-mail) Brief biographical summaries of each of the organizers or authors (max 100 words each) Abstract/Description of proposed session (max 500 words) Translation: Would you need translation services? If yes, please indicate language of presentation. Financial Support: Would you require financial support to attend the conference? If yes, please indicate if you will require registration fee, airfare, hotel, or per diem, or all four areas of support. Equipment: What audio-visual equipment or conference facilities would you need for your session? Financial Support The MA is able to provide limited support for travel and conference registration costs. These funds will be used to ensure the broad involvement of participants from around the world (researchers, graduate students, NGOs, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders from both developed and developing countries). Funding awards will be based on need and the quality of the proposal. We encourage established researchers (especially from developed countries) to explore other grants or sources of support for the conference. Translation The official language of the conference will be English; however, we will consider proposals in other languages. If the proposal is accepted, we will work with the session organizers to provide the appropriate translation services. Registration The registration fee for the conference is US$200, which includes the conference program and abstracts as well as a CD-Rom with all the conference papers, daily buffet lunch, and 2 daily coffee breaks. The registration fee does not include other food, lodging, transportation costs or other fees associated with travel to and from the conference. Field Trip Participants in the conference will have the option of participating in a 3-4 day field trip in Yunnan Province, either to the mountain villages of Dali and Lijiang or to the Xishuangbanna Botanical Gardens near Jinghong. (Participants must cover the additional costs of the field trip themselves.) These field trips will be organized by members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and will include local experts to educate participants about the cultural and biological diversity in the region. More information about the field trips and associated costs will be provided in the coming months. Important Dates 20 December, 2002 Deadline for submission of proposals 17 January, 2003 Announcement of proposals accepted for the conference 24 February, 2003 Deadline for registration and confirmation of conference participation (Financial support allocations will have been made by this deadline) 23-26 June, 2003 Conference in Kunming, China For more information, please contact: Carolina Katz Reid "Bridging Scales and Epistemologies" ICLARM PO Box 500 GPO 10670 Penang, Malaysia Tel: 60-4-6261606 Fax: 60-4-6265530 conference@millenniumassessment.org www.millenniumassessment.org .