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psychology conferences

A Day on Diversity

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Dr Dwight Turner - The Weekend University

Diversity, Intersectionality & Psychotherapy

Dr Dwight Turner, PhD
Dr Mona Sue Weissmark
Marcelle Giovannetti
Brian Chin

The Science of Diversity and Unconscious Bias

Dr Mona Sue Weissmark
Marcelle Giovannetti
Brian Chin
Irshad-Manji - The Weekend University

Diversity without Labels – The Psychology of Shaming and How We Can Do Better

Professor Irshad Manji
Diversity - Main Event Image

Become a force for positive change in your life, work, community and relationships.

In 2020, we’ve seen global tensions rise to an all time high.

The death of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, Brexit and the #MeToo movement have shown us that we can no longer afford to remain uninformed on issues surrounding diversity.

In fact, our ability to move forward as a society depends upon us becoming educated in this area. You can also educate yourself with a workplace diversity program that can help your company take a huge step in the right direction.

Given the complex social environment we now find ourselves in, we need leaders and change-makers, who understand (and are able to implement) the latest scientific approaches to diversity in their workplaces, communities, and in their relationships with others.

This is why, for this online conference, we’ve brought together some of the world’s leading experts on the subject, including Harvard psychologists, bestselling authors, and university professors at the forefront of their fields – who will share with you their cutting edge approaches to diversity.

If you are interested in becoming a force for positive change in the world and impacting those around you, then this event is for you.

Content

You’ll discover:

  • Diversity, Intersectionality and Psychotherapy; why the psychotherapeutic professions have until now mirrored wider societal oppressions, how we can redress the imbalance, how to apply an intersectional lens in your work with clients, and why this is a critical skill for anyone working in the helping professions today – Dr Dwight Turner, PhD
  • The Science of Diversity & Unconscious Bias; the psychological underpinnings of our unconscious biases, how to approach issues surrounding diversity scientifically, and turn polarizing conversations into constructive dialogues where both parties gain – Dr Mona Sue Weissmark, Marcelle Giovannetti, and Brian Chin
  • Diversity without Division – The Psychology of Shaming and How we Can Do Better; why honest diversity isn’t about labelling others, how to transform disagreements into constructive conversations, and how we can transcend labels to humanise ourselves and each other, cultivating common ground; even when we stand our ground – Professor Irshad Manji

You’ll learn how to apply these insights to become a force for positive change in your life, work, community and relationships.

Event Schedule:

10:00am – 12:00pm: Diversity, Intersectionality & Psychotherapy – Dr Dwight Turner, PhD
12:00 – 1:00pm: Lunch break
1:00pm – 3:00pm: The Science of Diversity – Dr Mona Sue Weissmark, PhD, Marcelle Giovannetti, and Brian Chin
3:00pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon break
3:30pm – 5:00pm: Diversity without Labels: The Psychology of Shaming and How We Can Do Better – Professor Irshad Manji

Lectures & Speakers

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Diversity, Intersectionality & Psychotherapy

We live in a challenging age. With the death of George Floyd, the subsequent marches across the world against racism, the struggles of the #Metoo movement, campaigns for equal rights for the LGBTQ community, and the rise of Disability theorists. Yet, all these efforts towards equality in the face of varying types of oppression speak loudly of the voices of the others and their need to be heard and acknowledged. Within psychotherapy and psychology though, difference and diversity trainings have been slow in turning their considerable talents towards exploring or understanding the experiences of the other, often doing no more than to mirror the wider societal oppressions we all witness daily.

This morning session is designed to give facilitators, supervisors, lecturers, and markers an insight into the latest thinking around privilege and otherness within the profession. Drawing upon the idea of intersectionality, this taster presents a more nuanced, psychotherapeutic understanding of difference and diversity.

Dr Dwight Turner - The Weekend University
Dr Dwight Turner, PhD

Diversity, Intersectionality & Psychotherapy

Dr Dwight Turner is a psychotherapist, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the School of Applied Social Science at Brighton University. Dr Turner casts an intersectional lens on privilege, supremacy, otherness and social justice. He was invited to deliver the keynote presentation at the BACP’s ‘Working with Diversity’ Conference in 2019.

His recent blog post – “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” addressed the anguish and the action that has risen from the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and has been widely read by UK and US therapists. Dr Turner’s new book: ‘Linking Intersectional Theory of Privilege and Otherness to Counselling and Psychotherapy’ will be published by Routledge. You can keep up to date with his work and latest blog posts at: https://www.dwightturnercounselling.co.uk/ and follow him on twitter @Dturner300.

Reading Recommendations:

Books and Articles:

  • Aboud, F. E. (1988). Children and Prejudice. Basil Blackwell Limited. Aboud, F. E. (1993). The developmental psychology of racial prejudice. Transcultural Psychiatric Research Review, 30, 229–242. https://doi.org/10.1177/136346159303000303 Brewster, F. (2020).
  • The Racial Complex: A Jungian perspective on culture and race. Routledge. Buber, M. (2010). I and Thou. Martino Publishing Limited. Diangelo, R. (2011).
  • White fragility. International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 3(3), 54–70. file:///C:/Users/CSWAC/Documents/CSWAC/Research articles/White fragility.pdf (her book White Fragility is also excellent)
  • Freud, S. (1930). Civilisation and its discontents. Penguin Limited.
  • Frosh, S. (2002). The Other. American Imago, 59(4), 389–407. https://doi.org/10.1353/aim.2002.0025
  • Frosh, S., & Baraitser, L. (2003). Thinking, recognition, and otherness. Psychoanalytic Review, 90(6), 771–789. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15150846
  • Spivak, G. (1993). Echo. New Literary History, 24(1), 17–43.

Podcasts:

  • Kicking the Kyriarchy (intersectional feminists talking about difference):
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/kicking-the-kyriarchy/id1108149497
  • Being LGBTQ: https://www.beinglgbtq.com/
  • The Partially Examined Life (existentialism and philosophy – this episode has the brilliant Judith Butler who is very well versed in psychodynamic theory): https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/?s=judith+butler
  • New Books in Psychoanalysis (this edition has the brilliant psychodynamic psychotherapist and feminist Carol Gilligan):
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/carol-gilligan-naomi-snider-whydoes-patriarchy-persist/id423338807?i=1000465134385

The Science of Diversity and Unconscious Bias

The Science of Diversity is a method of teaching universal, scientific reasoning as a tool to overcome dialog barriers and move forward in polarizing conversations. This method addresses fundamental weaknesses in the way we communicate and provide learners with the necessary skills to approach conversations about diversity issues scientifically. People do not always think of scientific reasoning as a path to understanding in emotionally charged conflicts. However, the nature of scientific reasoning causes us to pause, reflect, look to data for insight and reach scientific consensus.

The Science of Diversity method recognizes that in order to comprehend the complexities of our biases, it is necessary to understand their biological and psychological underpinnings. Many of the current agenda driven diversity and racial sensitivity programs have failed to recognize that people have biases deeply rooted in their personal memories and histories.

The Science of Diversity method stands out from such programs by recognizing that commanding people to get rid of their biases is often akin to asking them to shed their very legacies and identities. Diversity issues are nuanced, but without the ability to have truly open discussions, people will not feel safe to express their ideas, and real understanding and growth cannot be achieved.

This session will help participants to:

  • Differentiate between the Science of Diversity method and traditional diversity approaches
  • Understand the psychological process of the intergenerational transmission of injustice
  • Examine the legacy of injustice & polarization.

Dr Mona Sue Weissmark
Dr Mona Sue Weissmark

The Science of Diversity and Unconscious Bias

Dr. Mona Sue Weissmark is an award-winning professor, researcher, and author. Her work on the science of diversity has received global recognition, and she is widely recognized as a leading expert on diversity, inclusion, and polarized groups. Dr Weissmark is best known for her groundbreaking social experiment of bringing together descendants of slaves and slaveowners, and descendants of Holocaust survivors and Nazis at Harvard University. She teaches the ‘Psychology of Diversity’ course and conducts research on the science of diversity at Harvard, and her work has been featured in major publications such as the New York Times, The Guardian, JUF News, Harvard Magazine and many others.

Marcelle Giovannetti
Marcelle Giovannetti

The Science of Diversity and Unconscious Bias

Marcelle Giovannetti is a full time Assistant Professor in Messiah University’s Graduate Counseling Program in Pennsylvania, and also works part-time as a clinician in private practice at Purposefully Soaring LLC. She has presented on numerous occasions at national, regional, state and local conferences. Marcelle serves as a Teaching Assistant to Dr. Mona Sue Weissmark in the Psychology of Diversity course taught at Harvard.

Brian Chin
Brian Chin

The Science of Diversity and Unconscious Bias

Brian Chin, one of Dr. Mona Sue Weissmark’s research and teaching assistants, is a current graduate student at Harvard University. Brian graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and also served with distinction in the U.S Army (2011-2019) as an enlisted soldier specializing in Psychological Operations, a branch of the U.S Army focusing on Psychological Warfare.

Reading Recommendations:

  • The Science of Diversity
  • Do Diversity Training Programs Work?Creating a Culture of Inclusion through Scientific Reasoning
  • Are There Any Solutions to Group Polarization?

Diversity without Labels – The Psychology of Shaming and How We Can Do Better

In this one-of-a-kind session, Irshad Manji will take your questions about faltering relationships — in your family, among your friends, with your co-workers, or in society at large — and coach you to repair them by listening to understand and speaking to be understood.

What does this have to do with diversity? Everything. Honest diversity isn’t about labeling people according to race, gender, religion, sexuality, disability, or any other group marker. Instead, true diversity is about communicating with one another so that different points of view are heard, acknowledged, and appreciated, despite being disagreed with. Welcome to Irshad’s no-shaming technique of creating unity without uniformity.

Irshad will begin the session with an overview of the Moral Courage Method, a simple, science-backed approach to dealing with any polarized situation. She will then invite participants to put her teachings to the test. They will pose surprise questions about the divisions that are rocking their own lives. Irshad will mentor them to build and exercise their moral courage, all the while encouraging every participant (not just those asking the questions) to voice their doubts, skepticism, and challenges to her teachings. In that way, Irshad will also role-model how to have constructive conversations in the midst of disagreements.

This session will wrap up with concrete tools and tips for starting and sustaining difficult dialogues. The bottom line? Any diversity that does not make peace with the existence of different opinions is merely a cosmetic diversity; one that is fixated on skin color and other superficialities. By contrast, the Moral Courage Method shows how we can transcend labels to humanize ourselves and each other, cultivating common ground even when we stand our ground.

At Irshad’s request, all proceeds from this session will go to the Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice in Scotland.

Irshad-Manji - The Weekend University
Professor Irshad Manji

Diversity without Labels – The Psychology of Shaming and How We Can Do Better

The recipient of Oprah Winfrey’s first annual “Chutzpah Award” for boldness, Irshad Manji inspires and equips people to have honest, non-judgemental conversations about issues that polarize.

Although she is an internationally bestselling author, her books are banned in many countries — which has intrigued a new generation to learn her techniques for effective communication. Irshad’s latest book, Don’t Label Me, is a primer on how to do diversity without inflaming the culture wars. (Fun fact: The comedian Chris Rock labels it “genius.”)

A professor of leadership at New York University for many years, Irshad is now the founder of Moral Courage College. She also teaches moral courage with Oxford University’s Initiative for Global Ethics and Human Rights.

Reading Recommendations:

WATCH: Irshad and Al-Jazeera journalist Mehdi Hasan go “head-to-head” about Irshad’s first two books, which argue that Islam needs reform.

READ: The Progressive magazine features an extract from Don’t Label Me about why the human brain is seduced by labels.

WATCH: In this viral video produced by TIME magazine, Irshad makes the case for why young people (actually, all people!) should resist becoming so easily offended.

LISTEN: In this series of one-minute audio clips, Irshad addresses diversity-related dilemmas at work:

* How do we ask our co-workers about their identity if we worry that the question will sound ignorant? Here is Irshad’s answer.

* How do we invite ideas and opinions from diverse groups without making anybody feel like a token or a mascot for their group? Here is Irshad’s answer.

* Most diversity training programs produce poor outcomes. Is there a better alternative? Here is Irshad’s answer.

* When hiring, how do you assess someone’s cultural fit without lapsing into bias? Here is Irshad’s answer.

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attendee testimonals

What TWU students are saying

The Weekend University is amazing! They recently hosted the Holistic Change Summit where such great minds were brought together to discuss a wide variety of topics relevant to change, growth and living a meaningful life. The facilitator, Niall, asked excellent questions which really gave the speaker the chance to discuss ideas that many of us wonder about. It was brilliant and I loved it.
Kiden Shae
Summit Attendee
Extremely stimulating events! It brings together great professionals who share their experience in their respective fields to pass their knowledge in a way accessible to the general public and other professionals alike. It is a great way to bring motivated people in the same place! Also, Niall is extremely thoughtful, considerate and driven person. His personal approach and professionalism in making those events happen does not go unnoticed!
Nikolay Petrov
Event Attendee
This event is nourishment for my mind! The kind of subjects usually reserved for academics is now open to us all and the information is delivered in a way that anyone can understand. The audience was filled with interesting people, hungry to learn and engage in fascinating conversations. We had all day to connect, to learn and to share. Just like a delicious cool drink on a very hot day, my mind felt quenched! Thank you, Niall, for creating this. I will be back!
David Saville
Event Attendee
Absolutely excellent day with The Weekend University last Saturday on Attachment and Psychotherapy. Superb speaker who was totally engaging, really useful practical insights, and great organisation. Thank you!
Helen Jane
Event Attendee
I attended an Existential Coaching seminar out of curiosity and ended up being supermotivated and serious to get more into this subject! The event was really went organised, the venue was central and easy to find and the organisers and facilitator were amazing. Totally recomend!
Fiora Maya Touliatou
Seminar Attendee
My first time at the Weekend University on their day of Wellbeing a fantastic event. Excellent venue, thought provoking speakers, interesting topics, really well organised, communication, support material a 5 star rating.
Viryapushpa Nolan
Event Attendee
I attended 'A Day on Sleep and Dreams’ and it was fantastic - excellent speakers and thought provoking content. The Weekend University has been a great discovery and I will defiantly be attending more lectures. The event was really well organised by Niall - informative emails, follow ups etc. I recommend that everyone takes the opportunity to go, you won’t be disappointed!
Hannah Durhager
Event Attendee
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Date and time

29/11/2020

09:30 – 17:00 BST

Location

Online Video Conference

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