Neal Stephenson has said that he is interested in “the attention span of our society” and comments that we have “350 years of perspective” on the scientific process. In the face of climate disruption, can Cultural Creatives prove the Doomers and Deniers wrong? This week, a symposium at UMass Amherst aims to “Harvest Hope.”
Read MoreWhen Europeans got scared
by Steph • September 5th, 2013
I recently wrote an aggressive guest editorial challenging whiteness in the Doomer movement. Guy McPherson and commenters at Nature Bats Last skewered me.
Read MorePeak Connectivity and Social Resilience
by Steph • July 14th, 2013
The “intersection” in this blog entry on social resilience involves computer science and brain science. Combining the social aspect of resilience with the human-computer interface and education has potential to enhance sophisticated problem-solving around the globe. For instance, what if we gamed Twitter?
Read MoreSlow Learning vs Fast Living
by Steph • July 8th, 2013
I can only offer what I know, what I have learned, slowly and at the cost of many dear relationships. Diversity matters. The differences among us are more important than the similarities, because they enable creativity. Here we are, thrown into consciousness and connection. What shall we make of this precious chance?
Read MoreThe ANSWER . . . is DIRT (the question is irrelevant)
by Steph • July 6th, 2013
One of the challenges of inspiring people to care about transforming land to better grow food is making the lifestyle appealing. So far, no go! The aesthetic is monotone: white people playing folk music. This is seriously problematic! Forging alliances is not easy work, but it is meaningful labor.
Read MoreSpontaneous Action Research: Interrogating Intersectionality
by mjd • July 2nd, 2013
The challenge of making the invisible visible, of bringing those aspects of relationships and identities that have been silenced into awareness and open conversation, was a common problem across seven international research projects explored at a workshop on “intersectionality” hosted by the Center for Gender in Organizations at the Simmons College School of Management.
Read MoreGrowing Pains: Emergency Management Interpreting
by Steph • June 9th, 2013
One of the legacies of persistent discrimination is pent-up emotion. Lack of services and humane consideration adds up and seeks outlets. Get a group of sign language interpreters and Deaf people together to work on solutions to bad or absent communication and inevitably a flood of frustration will arise. This energy was very effectively re-directed toward […]
Read MoreEmergency Management Interpreter Training in Massachusetts
by Steph • June 8th, 2013
Use google to search for #demx and use Twitter to participate in spreading information about the professionalization of a new subfield in emergency management interpreting. Introduction to the Incident Command System and Interpreter Strike Teams Discussion during this introductory module demonstrated the importance of interpreters taking four of the FEMA courses offered free online before […]
Read MoreEnglish Transcript for “Holding Time: The Significance of Deaf Interpreters”
by Steph • June 4th, 2013
What’s the real difference between CDIs (Certified Deaf Interpreters) and ‘regular’ hearing interpreters? It’s not only language and internalized culture….Something else that could be described simply and taught to interpreters to help them realize one thing to do differently.
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