ECP/ECERP2018 Programme &
www.iafor.org/about/partners
IAFOR Global Partners
IAFOR has entered into a number of strategic partnerships with universities across the world to form
the IAFOR Global Partnership Programme. These academic partnerships support and nurture IAFOR’s
goals of educational cooperation without borders, connecting the organisation with institutions that
have an international and internationalising profile, and a commitment to interdisciplinary research.
www.ecp.iafor.org
www.ecerp.iafor.org
Join us in Hawaii for The IAFOR International
Conference on Education – Hawaii (IICEHawaii)
IICEHawaii is organised by IAFOR in partnership with the University
of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and IAFOR’s Global University Partners.
The 2019 conference theme for the IAFOR conference series in Hawaii is
Independence & Interdependence, and invites reflections on the desirability, extent
and limits of our individual independence and autonomy, of that of our students, and
of the institutions and structures within which we work, teach and learn. We do not
educate, and are not educated in vacuums, but in such contexts and constraints as
families, groups, and societies; of nations and cultures; of identities and religions;
and of political and financial realities.
Ever changing technologies offer new ways for us to be independent and autonomous
learners, encouraging students to be self-directed and confident in making choices,
and enabling and empowering students and teachers to be proactive and tailor
content. However, myriad technologies and services make us more dependent on
the very things allowing autonomy. How do we help students and teachers alike
navigate and curate the vast information available? How do we encourage individual
growth while also underlining the importance of belonging and of the reciprocal
responsibilities and privileges of education? How do we help students build the
skills and attitudes necessary for positive engagement in distributed, globalised
communities that so often lead to polarisation and alienation instead? How do we
educate with independence and interdependence in mind?
These and many other questions will be addressed at the conference, and we look
forward to coming together to exchange ideas and explore new research paths
together in Honolulu in 2019!
www.iicehawaii.iafor.org
Conference Theme: "Independence & Interdependence"
Dates: Thursday, January 03, 2019 to Saturday, January 05, 2019
Location & Venue: The Hawai'i Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Early Bird Abstract Submission Deadline: August 21, 2018
Final Abstract Submission Deadline: October 19, 2018
Registration Deadline: November 21, 2018
Dr Christina M. Kishimoto
Superintendent – Hawaii State Department of Education, USA
Dr Christina M. Kishimoto began a three-year
contract as superintendent on August 1, 2017. She is
responsible for efficiently and effectively administering
the Hawaii public school system in accordance with
law and educational policies adopted by the Board of
Education. On October 3, 2017, Dr Kishimoto presented
an Implementation Plan to advance the goals of the
DOE/BOE Strategic Plan. Her plan is targeted around three high impact strategies:
School Design, Student Voice, and Teacher Collaboration.
Dr David Lassner
President of the University of Hawai'i, USA
& Chancellor of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, USA
Dr David Lassner is the 15th president of the University
of Hawai‘i and concurrently serves as the Chancellor
of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. He has worked
at the university since 1977, and was most recently its
vice president for information technology and chief
information officer. Lassner is also a member of the
university’s cooperating graduate faculty and has taught both online and in-person
in computer science, communications, business and education.
Dr Richard R. Vuylsteke
Chief Executive – East-West Center, USA
Dr Richard R. Vuylsteke (pronounced VUL-stek) took
office as the East-West Center’s 11th Chief Executive
on January 1, 2017. A former EWC grantee and staff
member, he rejoined the Center after several decades
living in Asia and serving most recently as President of
the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.
His areas of expertise include strategic and operational leadership of multicultural
organisations; Asia Pacific business and trade, and Asian and Western history and
philosophy.
Read presenters full biographies at www.iicehawaii.iafor.org/speakers
Organising Committee
Anne Boddington
Kingston University, UK
Anne Boddington is Professor of Design Innovation, Pro Vice
Chancellor for Research, Business and Innovation at Kingston
University in the UK and recently appointed as the Sub Panel Chair
for Art & Design: History, Practice & Theory for the UK’s Research
Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. Professor Boddington has
extensive experience of the leadership, management and evaluation
of art and design education and art and design research in higher
education across the UK and internationally.
Dexter Da Silva
Keisen University, Japan
Dr Dexter Da Silva is currently Professor of Educational Psychology at
Keisen University in Tokyo. He has taught EFL at junior high school,
language schools, and universities in Sydney, and for the past two
decades has been living and teaching at the tertiary level in Japan.
He has presented and co-presented at conferences in Asia, Australia,
Europe and the United States, and written or co-written articles and
book chapters on education-related topics, such as trust, student
motivation, autonomy, and content-based language teaching.
Joseph Haldane
The International Academic Forum (IAFOR)
Dr Joseph Haldane is the Chairman and CEO of IAFOR. He
is responsible for devising strategy, setting policies, forging
institutional partnerships, implementing projects, and overseeing
the organisation’s business and academic operations, including
research, publications and events. Dr Haldane is Guest Professor
at The Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at Osaka
University, where he teaches on the postgraduate Global Governance
Course, and Co-Director of the OSIPP-IAFOR Research Centre.
Frank S. Ravitch
Michigan State University College of Law, USA
Frank S. Ravitch is Professor of Law and the Walter H. Stowers Chair
in Law and Religion at the Michigan State University College of Law,
and Director of the Kyoto, Japan Summer Program. Professor Ravitch
regularly serves as an expert for print and broadcast media, and
speaks on topics related to US Constitutional Law, Japanese Law,
and Israeli Law to a wide range of national, international and local
organisations.
ECP2018
“The only thing that is constant is change.” This is attributed to Heraclitus, 500 years before Christ,
but he was not the last person to say this. More recently, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi used the same
words to remind us of a basic aspect of the human condition – we need to accept and adapt to
change, and cope with the stress that it brings, in order to survive and thrive.
Change is not new, but change today is unique in its pace, its extent and its impact. The pace of
change in its various forms – technological change, social change, climate change – has been
incredible; its extent has been global. The impact of change on humans has been extremely powerful.
Our daily lives have changed dramatically and irreversibly.
One of the challenges of psychology and the behavioral sciences has been to help humans adapt to
their environments, to help us be resilient in the face of challenges and failures, to help us maintain
our mental health, to help us overcome the various difficulties that life brings us. All areas in the
study of psychology and the behavioral sciences aim to teach us to be psychologically literate, to
provide us with the knowledge and skills to survive and thrive, and to help others survive and thrive.
ECERP2018
The way we think, reason and behave as individuals, as communities and societies is in a process of
constant change and renegotiation. The only constant of change is change itself, as Heraclitus most
famously put it some 2,500 years ago. Change may not be new, but its pace, assisted and facilitated
by advanced technologies, means these processes have never been faster. While in some ways
we have grown together through the processes of globalisation, in others we have become more
isolated, marginalised and alienated. Religious traditions, and the relationship between religion and
civil society, have also faced dramatic change.
This conference’s theme of “surviving and thriving” in these times of change invites us to continue
to consider this large question through the traditions and lenses of studies associated with religion,
philosophy and ethical studies.
The role of religion is seen by many as having no place in the modern world. Where and when it does
wield influence it is often viewed as inappropriate or malevolent, and as a barrier to “progress” and
“modern” thinking. In today’s fast-paced and technology driven world, are the study of philosophy
and ethics useful, or are they similarly becoming irrelevant and ossified? What is the continued role
and relevance of ethics, religion and philosophy, as subjects to be studied, discussed and lived as
core parts of our individual and collective lives? How can they help us stay resilient in the face of
challenges and failures? How can they help us overcome the various difficulties that life brings?
Dear Colleagues,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the wonderful city of Brighton
and Hove; a vibrant cosmopolitan city that is home to two
universities, England’s largest arts festival, one of the world’s
strangest royal palaces, one and a half piers, and a beautiful
situation between the English Channel and the South Downs.
Just a short train ride from the capital, London-by-the-Sea is the
most European of cities and prides itself on being different, more
open and welcoming than other places.
It is with great excitement then to be returning to Brighton and
Hove for the Sixth IAFOR European Conference series over a
two-week period that will see some 600 academics from more than 50 different countries come and
exchange ideas, research and practices both formally in the academic sessions, and informally over
coffee, lunch, dinner, or drinks. Just like the city itself, this conference series is diverse and exciting,
and promises the opportunity to expand professional networks and research partnerships; engage
in new, and consolidate old, friendships; and to be challenged and inspired.
There are many worrying trends internationally, including rises in regionalism, nationalism,
authoritarianism and parochialism. These have been evidenced throughout the world, as
peoples turn on each other. Conferences offer us the hope of human interaction, at the human
level, through cooperation and friendship, and unmediated by technology. IAFOR’s mission is to
promote international exchange, to facilitate intercultural awareness, to encourage interdisciplinary
discussion, and to generate and share new knowledge, and we encourage you, as academics working
throughout the world, to forge friendships and working relationships with your fellow delegates
across national, religious and disciplinary borders, and in pursuit of the research synergies that
drive positive change.
The past few months have been an exciting time for the organisation, as we have collaborated on a
number of exciting interdisciplinary projects and initiatives, including a Silk Road Initiative, and an
Innovation and Value Initiative, which included a collaborative effort with the United Nations, and
more about which you can read later in the program. What is more, we have recently launched a
membership programme, and if you enjoy this event, then please join and get involved.
I would like to thank the members of the IAFOR Academic Governing Board, the conference Organising
Committee members, our keynote and featured speakers, all our global partners, but most notably
the University of Sussex, Birkbeck, and UCL, and our university home in Japan, Osaka University,
where IAFOR has a collaborative research centre in the Osaka School of International Public Policy
(OSIPP). Last, but not least, I would like to thank the delegates from around the world, who make this
conference possible, and this organisation come alive.
We have so much to learn from each other and I am sure that you will come away from the conference
inspired!
Warmest regards,
Joseph Haldane
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to the city of Brighton & Hove, a vibrant and diverse
centre of Arts and Culture.
Ever since the Prince Regent first visited in 1783, Brighton & Hove
has been England's most exciting seaside city, and today it's as
vibrant, eccentric and cosmopolitan as ever. As Mayor, it’s my job
to represent our city to others and its civic life to the people who
live here… quite a job, considering the depth and breadth of our
offer.
Our city has a bohemian and artistic atmosphere that can't be
found anywhere else in the UK. We combine the modern with the traditional and the outlandish with
the everyday; tempting and treating visitors and residents alike with a unique cultural experience.
If you've never visited, I urge you to get out and about and make the most of the rich cultural mix –
Regency architecture, pleasure pier, specialist shops, pavement cafés, lively arts and, of course, the
exotic Royal Pavilion. Everything is within walking distance, so take time to explore and enjoy what
the city has to offer.
Our city–by-the-sea has a passion for creativity, a desire to look at things differently, and a friendliness
that attracts visitors from all over the world.
Whether it’s the sea air that changes your perspective or the lively North Laine that buzzes day and
night, I am sure that Brighton & Hove has got that special something that will inspire.
I wish you every success with your conference and hope you have a long and enjoyable stay.
Councillor Dee Simson
Mayor of the City of Brighton & Hove
IAFOR Membership
IAFOR provides an excellent personal and professional environment for academics and scholars
of all ages and backgrounds to come together and exchange the latest ideas, and inform each
other’s perspectives through their own cultural and disciplinary background and experiences. We
are able to do this thanks to the exceptional network of individuals and institutions around the
world who support our work and help shape our exceptional events globally. We emphasise the
nurturing and supporting of young academics from different backgrounds, providing mutual advice
and guidance, and offer more senior academics the chance to forge working relationships outside
of their traditional networks.
In a world where division and strife are underlined and played up in national and local contexts,
and political posturing frequently seeks to ostracise and demonise, IAFOR is committed to working
across cultural and national borders, and to work to bring people together. We believe that mature
human interaction and academic and cultural exchange are essential to offering positive versions of
the future, where cooperation happens with individuals and institutions who share a commitment to
bridge divides, to being good global citizens, and to making the world a better place.
By becoming a member, you will become a stakeholder in the IAFOR mission of facilitating international
exchange, encouraging intercultural awareness, and promoting interdisciplinary discussion in the
hope and expectation of generating and sharing new knowledge. Join us now in this growing global
organisation, and help make a difference today.
Conference
Guide
Conference at a Glance
Room Schedule
Floor Guide
Directions & Access
Lunch & Dinner
General Information
Presentation Guide
IAFOR Academic Grant & Scholarship Recipients
Professor Stuart D. B. Picken (1942–2016)
IAFOR Journals
09:15-10:00
Conference Registration & Morning Coffee | Renaissance Foyer (B1F)
10:00-10:10
Opening Announcements | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
Kiyoshi Mana, Director of Events, IAFOR
10:10-10:20
Welcome Address | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
Joseph
Haldane,
IAFOR
10:20-10:30
Recognition of IAFOR Scholarship Winners | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
10:30-11:30
Keynote Presentation | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
Surviving High-stakes Exams: Do Teachers Help or Hinder?
David Putwain, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
11:30-12:30
Keynote Presentation | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
“Unchanging Truth? – Not in the Study of Religion”
George D. Chryssides, The University of Birmingham, UK
12:30-12:40
IAFOR Documentary Photography Award – 2017 Winners Screening
| Renaissance Suite (B1F)
12:40-12:45
Conference Photograph | Atrium (1F)
12:45-14:00
Lunch Break | Atrium Restaurant (1F)
July 3, 2018
14:00-15:30
Parallel Session I
15:30-15:45
Coffee Break | Library Terrace (2F)
15:45-17:15
Parallel Session II
17:30-18:30
Conference Welcome Reception & Conference Poster Session
| Library Terrace (2F)
July 3, 2018
Tuesday Afternoon at a Glance
09:30-10:00
Coffee, Tea and Pastries | Library Terrace (2F)
10:00-12:00
Parallel Session I
12:00-13:00
Lunch Break | Atrium Restaurant (1F)
13:00-14:30
Parallel Session II
14:30-14:45
Coffee Break | Library Terrace (2F)
14:45-16:45
Parallel Session III
16:45-17:00
Closing Remarks | Wordsworth Room (2F)
18:30-21:00
Official Conference Dinner (optional extra)
July 4, 2018
Tuesday
Room Schedule
Shelley Room Wordsworth Room Renaissance Suite Library Terrace
10:00-12:45 – – Plenary Session –
14:00-15:30 Religion Psychology and Education – –
15:45-17:15 Religion Psychology and Education – –
17:30-18:30 – – – Poster Session & Welcome Reception
Shelley Room Keats Room Wordsworth Room
10:00-12:00 Linguistics, Language & Psychology/Behavioral
Science Community Development General Psychology
13:00-14:30 Ethics Mental Health Industrial Organisation & Organisation Theory
14:45-16:45 Philosophy – Philosophy & Religion Mental Health
Qualitative/Quantitative Research in any other area of
Psychology
Wednesday
Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront
By Rail from London
London is the hub of the UK’s rail network and it is easy to travel by train to Brighton from the major
London stations. The fastest direct travelling times from London to Brighton are:
•
London Victoria – 56 minutes (direct)
•
London Bridge – 1 hour 3 minutes (direct)
•
London St Pancras – 1 hour 33 minutes (direct)
Rail services in the UK are operated by a number of private train operators. The main operators to
Brighton are Southern and First Capital Connect and all trains arrive into Brighton mainline station on
Queens Road. Regular rail connections also serve Hove, which is just a few minutes from Brighton by
rail. Central Brighton and Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront are an easy 20-minute walk from Brighton
Station, but, if required, buses and taxis are both available at the front of the station.
If you are travelling from Europe, the Eurostar train arrives at London St Pancras, where there are
direct train connections to Brighton.
By Rail from Gatwick Airport
Trains from Gatwick to Brighton take approximately 30 minutes direct and run regularly. The Gatwick
South rail station is directly linked to Gatwick’s South Terminal and just a few minutes away from
North Terminal via a transit train link.
By Rail from Heathrow Airport
Take the London Underground to London Victoria and then a mainline train to Brighton. Alternatively,
take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then the London Underground to Victoria and then a
mainline train to Brighton.
By Coach from Heathrow Airport
Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday is included in the conference registration fee.
Lunch will be provided in the Atrium Restaurant at Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront. Situated on the
Promenade, with unrivalled views of the famous Brighton Palace Pier and the sea, the restaurant
serves a range of modern British and European dishes prepared by a talented team of chefs. Lunch
service includes an unlimited drinks bar (non-alcoholic), coffee station and dessert table.
Please remember to bring your name badge with you, as this will act as your lunch ticket.
Lunch Times
Lunch is available between the following times:
Tuesday
12:45-14:00
Atrium Restaurant, Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront
Wednesday 12:00-13:00
Atrium Restaurant, Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront
Conference Dinner
The official Conference Dinner is a ticketed optional event (35 GBP). Please remember to bring your
name tag to the Conference Dinner. Conference Dinner attendees should meet at the Atrium (2F) at
18:30 on Wednesday, July 4. The group leaves for the restaurant at 18:45. It takes approximately 10
minutes to walk to the restaurant.
Restaurant name: Donatello
Registration
You will be able to pick up your registration pack and name card at the Conference Registration Desk.
The Conference Registration Desk and Publications Desk will be situated in the following locations
during the conference:
Tuesday
09:15-13:00
Renaissance Foyer (B1F)
13:00-17:15
Library
Terrace
(2F)
Wednesday
09:00-17:00
Library Terrace (2F)
If you have any questions or concerns, IAFOR staff and volunteers will happily assist you in any way
they can.
Name Badges
When you check in, you will receive a registration pack, which includes your name badge. Wearing
your badge is required for entrance to the sessions. You must wear your badge at all times during
the conference. There are four colours of badges indicating the type of conference participant:
Blue: Presenters and Audience
Yellow: Keynote and Featured Speakers
Red: Conference Exhibitors and Affiliates
Black: IAFOR Staff
Internet Access
There is free Wi-Fi internet connection throughout the conference venue. However, this can
be unreliable and we would strongly suggest that you do not rely on a live connection for your
presentation.
Refreshment Breaks
Complimentary coffee, tea and water will be available during the scheduled coffee breaks at the
Plenary Session on Tuesday morning and on the Library Terrace during the rest of the conference.
Light snacks will be provided once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Food and drink (excluding water) are not allowed in the presentation rooms.
Printing
For your convenience, we are able to offer a complimentary printing service of up to ten A4 sheets
should you need this. Please ask for assistance with printing and be advised that printing may not
be available at peak times.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted in the Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront. Please smoke outside of the building
in designated smoking areas.
What to Wear & Bring
Attendees generally wear business casual attire. You may wish to bring a light jacket or sweater as
meeting rooms are air-conditioned and sometimes cool. Tour attendees are encouraged to wear
comfortable shoes and bring an umbrella or waterproof in case of rain.
Photo/Recording Waiver
Human interaction through networking and dissemination of this knowledge is at the core of what IAFOR
does as an academic research organisation, conference organiser and publisher. As part of the archiving
of the conference event, IAFOR takes photos in and around the conference venue, and uses the photos to
document the event. This also includes the filming of certain sessions. We consider this documentation
important and provides evidence of our activities to members, partners and stakeholders all over the
world, as well as to current and potential attendees like you. Some of these photos will therefore appear
online and in print, including on social media. The above are the legitimate interests of the organisation
that we assert under the new European Union law on General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under
this legislation, you have an absolute right to opt out of any photo. We are committed to protecting and
respecting your privacy. Read our full privacy policy – www.iafor.org/about/privacy-policy
Conference Abstracts
All conference abstracts are available online. Please visit papers.iafor.org for a searchable database
of abstracts.
Oral & Workshop Presentations
Oral Presentation Sessions will run from 14:00 on Tuesday afternoon and 10:00 on Wednesday
morning. They are generally organised into parallel sessions by streams. Oral Presentations are
normally scheduled in sessions comprising three presentations, lasting 90 minutes in total. In
sessions with two Oral Presentations, the session will last 60 minutes, and in the case of four Oral
Presentations, an extended session lasting 120 minutes will be scheduled.
The time in the sessions is to be divided equally between presentations. We recommend that an Oral
Presentation should last 15–20 minutes to include time for question and answers, but should last no
longer than 25 minutes. Any remaining session time may be used for additional discussion.
Equipment
All rooms will be equipped with a MacBook computer pre-installed with PowerPoint and Keynote
and connected to a LCD projector or LCD screen. If you wish, you may directly link your own PC
laptop, although we advise you to use the computer provided by plugging in your USB flash drive. We
recommend that you bring two copies of your presentation in case one fails, and suggest sending
yourself the presentation by email as a third and final precaution.
Session Chairs
Session Chairs are asked to introduce themselves and other speakers (briefly) using the provided
printouts of speaker bios, hand out the provided presentation certificates at the end of the session,
ensure that the session begins and ends on time, and that the time is divided fairly between the
presentations. Each presenter should have no more than 25 minutes in which to present his or her
paper and respond to any questions. The Session Chair is asked to assume this timekeeping role,
and to this end yellow and red timekeeping cards are used as a visual cue for presenters, letting
Presentation Guide
Conference Poster Session
The Conference Poster Session is 60 minutes in length and takes place on Tuesday on the Library
Terrace from 17:30 to 18:30. The poster display boards are 1800 mm high x 1200 mm wide. Tape
will be provided for putting posters up. Please be aware that there are no on-site facilities for
printing posters.
Presentation Certificates
Poster Presenters can pick up a certificate of presentation from the Registration Desk. All other
presenters will receive a certificate of presentation from their Session Chair or a member of staff at
the end of their session.
Conference Proceedings
The Conference Proceedings are published on the IAFOR website (papers.iafor.org), and can be
freely accessed as part of IAFOR’s research archive. All authors may have their full paper published
in the online Conference Proceedings.
Full text submission is due by August 04, 2018 through the online system. The proceedings will be
published on September 04, 2018. Authors will have PDF copies of their offprints emailed to them
by October 04, 2018.
A Polite Request to All Participants
Participants are requested to arrive in a timely fashion for all presentations, whether to their own or
to those of other presenters. Presenters are reminded that the time slots should be divided fairly and
equally between the number of presentations, and that presentations should not overrun.
Participants should refrain from talking amongst themselves and ensure that mobile phones are
switched off or set to silent mode during presentations.
Our warmest congratulations go to Norikazu Furukawa, Antonia Cartwright, Ashar Johnson Khokhar,
Ariel Henig, Christine L. Murphy and Abbey Tayebwa, who have been selected by the conference
Organising Committees to receive IAFOR grants and scholarships to present their research at The
European Conference on Psychology & the Behavioral Sciences 2018 (ECP2018) and The European
Conference on Ethics, Religion & Philosophy 2018 (ECERP2018).
IAFOR's grants and scholarships programme provides financial support to PhD students and early
career academics, with the aim of helping them pursue research excellence and achieve their academic
goals through interdisciplinary study and interaction. Awards are based on the appropriateness of the
educational opportunity in relation to the applicant's field of study, financial need, and contributions
to their community and to IAFOR's mission of interdisciplinarity. Scholarships are awarded based on
availability of funds from IAFOR and vary with each conference.
Find out more about IAFOR grants and scholarships: www.iafor.org/financial-support
Norikazu Furukawa
IAFOR Scholarship Recipient
Mr Norikazu Furukawa is currently a PhD candidate in sustainability science at the School of Frontier
Sciences, the University of Tokyo, and works as an assistant researcher at the Research Center for
Moral Science, Japan. Born and raised in the country, he earned his bachelor's degree in Economics
from Reitaku University and, following two-years apprenticeship at the Research Center for Moral
Science, studied abroad at the University of San Francisco where he received his master's degree
in Economics. Returning to Japan, he started his academic career and gained his second master's
degree in Sustainability Science. Mr Furukawa's research connects behavioral economics with
hermeneutics and ecology in an attempt to understand how people's self-identity is shaped and
can affect their decisions and behavior which cause socioeconomic and environmental issues of
sustainability drawing on the philosophical traditions both East and West.
Wednesday | 10:00-10:30 | Shelley Room (2F)
Ecological Hermeneutics as a Solution to Jevons Paradox
Norikazu Furukawa, The University of Tokyo, Japan
The present study investigates the nature of Jevons Paradox, one of the greatest frustrations
shared among the researchers and practitioners in sustainability related fields: the more energy
efficient civilization becomes, the greater the energy consumption grows, for the lower price of the
access to energy. The investigation is conducted by fusing major theories of multiple disciplines:
economics, ecology, ethics, linguistics, and Eastern and Western philosophy. First, drawing on
theories of behavioral economics, how a person's self-identity shapes his or her utility function
is analyzed, with a special focus on increasing demand for energy. Second, various types of
self-identity are compared in terms of decisional and behavioral patterns that follow them, along with
the description of the process in which self-identity is shaped by application of the theory of
hermeneutic circles. Third, treating Naessian deep ecology as the latest and global example, the
study situates the ideas woven by Western philosophers such as Deleuze and Guattari, Whitehead,
and Hegel on the one hand, and Eastern philosophers of Buddhist and Taoist traditions on the
other, in a millennia-long contemplative endeavor that would be called “ecological hermeneutics”
in relation to self-identity development. Fourth, the ethical, economic and political implications
of a thorough practice of ecological hermeneutics will be discussed while avoiding the naturalist
fallacy. Finally, a few educational recommendations, including a suggestion on the use of the word
IAFOR Academic Grant
& Scholarship Recipients
Antonia Cartwright
IAFOR Scholarship Recipient
Antonia Cartwright is currently a Psychology PhD student at UC Davis, California. She is based in the
Social & Environmental Stress lab. Antonia moved to the USA from the UK in 2014. She completed her
BSc in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, MSc in Criminology and Criminal Psychology
at the University of Portsmouth, and her Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at the University
of Greenwich. Antonia's research interests include the role of stress in mental and physical health
outcomes, and how tools such as mindfulness may foster resilience by buffering against stress
and adversity. She is currently also looking at socioeconomic status and education outcomes in a
longitudinal UK dataset in collaboration with the UC Davis Center for Poverty Research.
Tuesday | 17:30-18:30 | Library Terrace (2F)
"Did He Ask You About Your Family?": Effects of Age and Trauma-Related Psychopathology
Antonia Cartwright, University of California, Davis, USA
Jessica Appell, University of California, Davis, USA
Deborah Goldfarb, University of California, Davis, USA
Mitchell Eisen, California State, Los Angeles, USA
Jianjian Qin, California State, Sacramento, USA
Gail Goodman, University of California, Davis, USA
After experiencing a traumatic event, children are often asked about disclosure conversations.
Such questioning may reflect concerns about interviewer influence, which could affect children's
later memory accuracy. Children's ability to accurately remember and resist false suggestions may
be compounded by trauma-related psychopathology resulting from maltreatment experiences.
However, few scientific studies exist on the accuracy of maltreated children's memory for
forensically relevant interviews, especially during active abuse investigations. In the present study,
maltreated children and children with no known maltreatment histories (N = 351) aged 3 to 16 years,
predominantly African-American from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, were questioned
about what was discussed with a clinical psychologist during assessment of the children's trauma
histories. Standardized measures of psychopathology indicated that clinical levels were high
(e.g., 56.7% reached clinical cutoff of adaptive functioning problems). Regression analyses were
conducted to examine predictors of memory accuracy; specifically, age, IQ, maltreatment status, and
psychopathology. The Age X Maltreatment Status interaction were entered as predictors of children's
answers to free recall, specific, misleading, and lineup questions. Results revealed developmental
differences in amount of correct information provided in free recall, proportion of correct responses
to specific and misleading questions, and accurate person identifications in target-absent lineups,
ps < .05. Additionally, a binary logistic regression showed that trauma-related psychopathology was
associated with fewer commission errors (e.g., on photo lineups, χ2 [1] = 3.96, p = .047). These
findings contribute to an understanding of memory development in the context of psychopathology
in children with and without known maltreatment histories.
Ashar Johnson Khokhar
IAFOR Scholarship Recipient
Mr Ashar Johnson Khokhar is a PhD scholar at the University of Management and Technology,
Lahore, Pakistan. Mr Khokhar works at the Forman Christian College, a chartered university
(a community based organisation run this university) and teaches courses offered to the
undergraduate students by the Education department. Mr Khokhar was born and completed all his
formal schooling in Gojra, Punjab, a city that saw religious violence recently. Mr Khokhar has been
working with community based organisations since his first university degree and continues to
work with them in different capacities, volunteer, part-time, full-time, a team member, a teacher, a
IAFOR Academic Grant
& Scholarship Recipients
teacher trainer and community mobiliser. Mr Khokhar's research interests are curriculum, textbook,
school and curriculum policy and reforms. Mr Khokhar's recent researche evolves around the
textbook and worldviews formed by textbooks in Pakistan. Mr Khokhar would like to see Pakistan
develop into a place where religious and ethnic minorities feel safe.
Tuesday | 15:45-16:15 | Shelley Room (2F)
Peace Education Through Textbooks: Schools Need Brave Teachers
Ashar Johnson Khokhar, University of Management and Technology, Pakistan
Peace education is considered an elusive idea. The concept of peace from “absence of war” to a
“culture of peace” has evolved and emerged especially in the late 20th and the early 21st century.
The ideological representation of different groups, social, ethnic and religious is embedded in
ideological and psychological representations of space “allowed” to the groups. The “allowed”
space reflects the social and political power structure of a society. This research analysed the
language textbooks (English, Urdu and Sindhi) taught to primary school students. This project
was completed in two phases. Text analysis was the first phase and a Textual Analysis technique
was used to analyse the content of the textbooks. The second phase involved a focused group
discussion on how teachers could improve textbook in their classrooms to make students aware of
“other religious” communities and their lived experiences. The analysis found very few references
to religious minorities, their religious practices and festivals in the textbooks. The majority of the
teachers struggled to edit and modify texts while a minority of teachers who could improve texts,
refuse to teach the modified texts in their classrooms, fearing a backlash from religious groups as
the strongest reason. This research suggests the revision of textbooks with more space given to
religious minorities as this is the only possible means available to students in becoming aware of
all those living in Pakistan, and for teachers to inform students about the contribution of religious
minorities in the creation and development of Pakistan.
Ariel Henig
Stuart D. B. Picken Grant and Scholarship Recipient
Ariel Henig is a Master of Bioethics student at Harvard Medical School. She graduated from
Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience.
As an undergraduate, she conducted research on the bioethical framework of the Zika virus
epidemic through a summer program at the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Humanities at the
University of Virginia School of Medicine. Ariel’s research interests include bioethical issues
related to women’s health, ethics education, as well as how policies are shaped by bioethics.
She is currently involved in a project examining simulated informed consent encounters in
anesthesia at Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. A nationally certified
emergency medical technician (EMT), she plans to pursue a career in medicine with a focus on
clinical ethics following the completion of her master’s degree.
Tuesday | 17:30-18:30 | Library Terrace (2F)
Empirical Attitudes on Posthumous Reproduction
Ariel Henig, Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School, USA
Posthumous reproduction is the usage of the gametes of an individual to create offspring following
their death. The ethical evaluation of this procedure centers on the need to respect the wishes of
the deceased, and evaluate whether or not they would have “consented” to the procedure. Empirical
data describing public opinion about posthumous reproduction can be useful in enacting the most
IAFOR Academic Grant
& Scholarship Recipients
Systematic literature review was conducted by identifying studies addressing empirical attitudes
towards posthumous reproduction from PubMed. A total of seven studies encompassing 8,425
participants from three different countries (Japan, Israel, and the United States) fulfilled the
criteria and were included in the analysis. In six of the available studies, a majority of participants
demonstrated a favorable attitude towards posthumous reproduction, whereas in the seventh
study, approximately half of the participants demonstrated a favorable attitude. Although this
study provides insight into attitudes regarding posthumous reproduction of certain populations, it
suggests that further investigation is needed.
Christine L. Murphy
IAFOR Scholarship Recipient
Christine L. Murphy is a doctoral candidate in the department of Religious Studies at the University
of California, Santa Barbara. Murphy conducted two years of ethnographic fieldwork in Mongolia
and is focused on the deconstruction of racial and gendered privilege in the cultural appropriation
of Buddhism in the West. Her research has been supported by the Council of American Overseas
Research Centers, the American Center for Mongolian Studies, The Henry Luce Foundation, and
the Association of Asian Studies.
Tuesday | 14:00-14:30 | Shelley Room (2F)
The Richest, The Whitest, The Buddhists: White Supremacy and Western Buddhism
Christine L. Murphy, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
Contemporary Buddhism in the United States and Europe is often divided into one of two categories:
cultural and converted. This paper looks at the growing phenomenon of the socio-economic and
political elite co-opting and appropriating Buddhist identities, practices, texts, theologies, and
aesthetics into distinctly Western, technologically-focused, interpretations. In particular, the rise
of popular marketing tactics, scientifically and psychologically legitimized secular mindfulness
trainings and prescriptions, and the increase in prominent, public, Western Buddhist figures. This
paper asks the question, are these developments the product of a balanced dialogue between
Buddhist and Western culture and identity? Or is this another example of spiritual imperialism,
one perpetuated by a racist and sexist ideology of supremacy? It is inevitable that a religion, when
brought to a new linguistic, cultural, and historical world, will be altered and adapted to best suit the
needs of the followers, but at what point does the change between East and West reflect colonial
prejudices rather than organic development? This paper investigates these questions, touching
on the colonial and orientalist history of Buddhism in North America and Europe, as well as the
contemporary influences of technology, social media, and popular culture.
Abbey Tayebwa
IAFOR Scholarship Recipient
Mr Abbey Tayebwa is a PhD candidate in the department of philosophy, Makerere University,
Kampala, Uganda. He has a bachelor’s degree in Ethics and Humans Rights and also a master’s
degree in Human Rights, both from Makerere University. Mr Tayebwa has worked with the Uganda
Police for about five years, an experience that is a bedrock for choice to pursue a career in human
rights. His current research project (PhD) as proposed, is focusing on the interdependence between
the concepts of social justice, human rights and ethics in particular how moral reasoning (ethics)
is quintessential to the former two. The argument being envisaged for his project is that in order to
cultivate a sustainable human rights culture to a point where a citizenry internalizing the inherent
nature of human rights, they must first and foremost internalize their foundation – ethics, and
their ultimate purpose – justice. [continued on the following page]
IAFOR Academic Grant
& Scholarship Recipients
Wednesday | 13:30-14:00 | Shelley Room (2F)
Ethics and Human Rights Culture in Uganda and the Gays' Life: Understanding Requirements of Justice
Abbey Tayebwa, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Doubts about the practical relevance of moral ethics-based accounts of human condition generally
is common mostly in the so-called young democracies like Uganda. In like settings, engagements
in moral reasoning on matters of public interest mostly end up implicating sitting governments, and
consequently, end up in state reprisals. In Uganda, Political dissenters and the gay community have
suffered the worst of these retaliations. Whereas moral reasoning on matters of human existence
and governance in particular is the substratum for human rights ideals and potential practices, this
understanding is not widely recognized by the political elite Uganda. This paper argues that the
essence of ethical reflections on politics and governance is to ensure that the laws and practices
by which human beings are led are reasonably just. Such concerns about justice are further widely
reflected in the visions and teachings of all major World Regions that shaped contemporary human
rights. Basing on the status of “Gay Rights” in Uganda and government attempts at stifling relevant
debates, this paper is intended as a critique of, and caution about, the political beliefs and practices
in Uganda using the John Rawls' Theory of Justice while drawing more insights from other popular
theories of justice. The paper intends to demonstrate that in circumstances like those, the teaching
of ethics and actual engagements in moral reasoning on the human condition as well as human
rights as one of their corollary is quintessential in guaranteeing social justice.
IAFOR Academic Grant
& Scholarship Recipients
The Reverend Professor
Stuart D. B. Picken (1942–2016)
The late Reverend Professor Stuart D. B. Picken began his distinguished career in academia as
a Rotary Scholar on a research trip to Japan. A native of Scotland who had dedicated himself to
religious studies, he immediately became fascinated by Japanese culture and the practice of Shinto.
He was particularly drawn to the parallels and differences he saw in Western pedagogy compared
to that of the East and began a lifelong mission to bridge the communication and knowledge gap
between the two worlds.
Picken was appointed Professor of Philosophy at the International Christian University (ICU) in
1972. Here he turned his Western theological and philosophical training to comparative religious
and cultural studies of Japan, at a time when the country was emerging from the shadows of the
Second World War.
His groundbreaking and controversial work on suicide in Japan made his name within the country,
but it was his subsequent work on Shinto that influenced the rehabilitation of the religion at a time
when it was dismissed in the West as pagan and primitive, or unjustly caricatured for its wartime
associations.
Whether in his research or teaching, Picken devoted much of his life to increasing understanding
between his adopted country of Japan and the West, and in 2007 he was recognised with the Order of
the Sacred Treasure, an imperial decoration for his pioneering research and outstanding contribution
to the promotion of friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and the United Kingdom.
He also served as the International Adviser to the High Priest of the Tsubaki Grand Shrine, one of
Japan’s largest and oldest shrines.
From 2009 he was the founding Chairman of The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), where he
was highly active in helping nurture and mentor a new generation of academics, and facilitating
better intercultural and international awareness and understanding.
Stuart D. B. Picken was a cherished friend and an inspiration to IAFOR and its community of
supporters. In honour of Professor Picken and his dedication to academia, the ideals of intercultural
understanding and the principles of interdisciplinary study, IAFOR has created the Stuart D. B. Picken
Grant and Scholarship, an award supported by the Stuart D. B. Picken Memorial Fund. Awards will
be made to PhD students and early career academics who are in need of funding to complete
their research, and whose work demonstrates excellence in the core values of academic rigour,
intercultural sensitivity and interdisciplinarity.
the iafor
journal of
education
Volume 6 – Issue 2 – Summer 2018 Editor: Yvonne Masters
ISSN: 2187-0594
www.iafor.org/journals
IAFOR Journal of Arts & Humanities
Alfonso J. García Osuna, Hofstra University, USA
IAFOR Journal of Asian Studies
Dr Seiko Yasumoto, University of Sydney, Australia
IAFOR Journal of Business & Management
Dr Anshuman Khare, Athabasca University, Canada
IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies
Professor Holger Briel, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool
University, China
IAFOR Journal of Education
Dr Yvonne Masters, University of New England,
Australia
IAFOR Journal of Ethics, Religion & Philosophy
Professor Lystra Hagley-Dickinson, Plymouth
Marjon University, UK
IAFOR Journal of Language Learning
Professor Melinda Cowart, Texas Woman’s
University, USA
IAFOR Journal of Literature & Librarianship
Dr Richard Donovan, Kansai University, Japan
IAFOR Journal of Media, Communication & Film
Dr Celia Lam, University of Nottingham
Ningbo China, China
IAFOR Journal of Politics, Economics & Law
Dr Craig Mark, Kyoritsu Women’s University, Japan
IAFOR Journal of Psychology & the Behavioral
Sciences
Dr Shahrokh Shafaie, Southeast Missouri State
University, USA
Dr Deborah G. Wooldridge, Bowling Green State
University, USA
IAFOR Journal of the Social Sciences
Dr Tingting Ying, Ningbo University of
Technology, China
The International Academic Forum’s journals conform to the highest academic standards of
international peer review, and are published in accordance with IAFOR’s commitment to make all of
our published materials available online.
How are journal editors appointed?
Journal editors are appointed by The International Academic Forum’s leadership, under the guidance of the
International Advisory Board. The term of appointment is for one issue, to be renewed by mutual consent.
How do we ensure academic integrity?
Once appointed, the journal editor is free to appoint his or her own editorial team and advisory
members. All papers published in the journal have been subjected to the rigorous and accepted
processes of academic peer review. Neither editors nor members of the editorial team are remunerated
for their work. Authors will never be asked to contribute to publication costs.
How are papers selected?
Journal editors may accept papers through an open call, and proposed articles may be sent directly to
the respective editors. A small number of papers from the associated Conference Proceedings may also
be selected by the journal editor(s) for reworking and revising, subject to normal processes of review. It
is expected that between five and ten percent of papers included in any given Conference Proceedings
will be selected for consideration and potential publication in the associated conference journal.
How are IAFOR journals related to IAFOR conferences?
IAFOR’s journals reflect the interdisciplinary and international nature of our conferences and
are organised thematically. Papers included in the associated Conference Proceedings may be
considered for reworking by the editor(s), and are then subjected to the same processes of peer
review as papers submitted by other means.
Tuesday, July 3 | 17:30-18:30 | Library Terrace (2F)
Conference Welcome Reception
Join fellow delegates for a drink or two at the Conference Welcome Reception. This
event provides a great opportunity for delegates to network and get to know each
other. All registered presenters and audience members are welcome to attend.
Admission is included in the conference registration fee.
Tuesday
July 3
Speakers will provide a variety of perspectives from different academic and
professional backgrounds on the conference themes. These presentations will be
recorded so please ensure that mobile phones are switched off or set to silent mode.
09:15-18:30 | Jurys Inn Brighton Waterfront
Tuesday Plenary Session
09:15-10:00
Conference Registration & Morning Coffee | Renaissance Foyer (B1F)
10:00-10:10
Opening Announcements | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
Kiyoshi Mana, Director of Events, IAFOR
10:10-10:20
Welcome Address | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
Joseph
Haldane,
IAFOR
10:20-10:30
Recognition of IAFOR Scholarship Winners | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
10:30-11:30
Keynote Presentation | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
Surviving High-stakes Exams: Do Teachers Help or Hinder?
David Putwain, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
11:30-12:30
Keynote Presentation | Renaissance Suite (B1F)
“Unchanging Truth? – Not in the Study of Religion”
George D. Chryssides, The University of Birmingham, UK
12:30-12:40
IAFOR Documentary Photography Award – 2017 Winners Screening
| Renaissance Suite (B1F)
12:40-12:45
Conference Photograph | Atrium (1F)
12:45-14:00
Lunch Break | Atrium Restaurant (1F)
14:00-15:30
Parallel Session I
15:30-15:45
Coffee Break | Library Terrace (2F)
15:45-17:15
Parallel Session II
17:30-18:30
Conference Welcome Reception & Conference Poster Session
| Library Terrace (2F)
High-stakes school exit examinations are a feature of many educational systems. The results
of such examinations are used to select students for transition into higher-level education and/
or training, for entry into the workplace, and for accountability purposes to judge the quality of
schools and individual teachers. The results of high-stakes school exit examinations can have
a profound impact on the life trajectory of students. It is not surprising, therefore, that teachers
communicate the value and importance of such qualifications to their students; how can success or
failure impact on ones’ life chances. What impact might these communications have on students?
Does it increase pressure; does it motivate and engage students to work hard; does it ultimately
does it relate in any way to exam performance? This presentation will use findings from a
10-year programme of research undertaken in relation to the secondary school leaving qualification
in England, the General Certificate of Secondary Education, to address these questions. The key
finding is that students differ in the way that they interpret messages about the importance and
value of their examinations. Exam value messages can be interpreted in a positive way, to inspire
motivation and engagement, or a negative way to trigger threat and worry. The way that messages
are interpreted determines whether they relate to educational gains or losses. We will close the
presentation by considering the reasons why students interpret messages different and what the
implications are for educators of students preparing for high-stakes school exit examinations.
How can we ensure they are a help rather than a hindrance.
David Putwain
Professor David Putwain is the Director for the Centre of
Educational Research in the School of Education at Liverpool
John Moores University and Chair of the Psychology of Education
Section of the British Psychology Society. He taught in schools
and 6th Form colleges from 1994 to 2003. After completing a
PhD in 2006, David joined Edge Hill University working initially
in the Department of Social and Psychological Sciences, where
he established an undergraduate programme in Educational
Psychology, and subsequently in the Faculty of Education.
David joined Liverpool John Moores University in May 2016. His
research interests focus on how psychological factors influence learning and achievement with
a particular focus on student motivation, emotion, engagement, and the classroom environment.
Keynote Presentation | David Putwain
Surviving High-stakes Exams: Do Teachers
Help or Hinder?
The lecture explores the role of change in studying religion, with particular reference to new forms
of spirituality. There are four interacting areas of change which affect the field of study: society,
religion, methodology, and researchers themselves. Starting with an autobiographical account of his
own change as a scholar, George Chryssides explores the range of societal changes that impinge
on religion and its study, notably secularisation, communications, the technological revolution,
and globalisation. Religious change includes doctrinal change, the rise of new forms of spirituality,
new styles of devotion, and changing roles of participants (such as women, and people of colour).
In new religions, a number of recent happenings, of which 9/11 is the best-known, have shaped
public attitudes, and criticism of controversial religious movements has shifted from religious to
secular critique. In methodology, the study of religion has moved from a text-based discipline to one
which involves fieldwork and focuses on “lived” or “vernacular” religion. Scholars have also come to
realise that the phenomena being studied are to some extent our own creation, and concepts such
as Hinduism, Buddhism, world religions, and even religion itself are terms that we have created, and
which need to be “deconstructed”. The number and diversity of forms of religion require increasing
specialism, entailing that no scholar can claim to be an expert, even on a single type of spirituality.
George D. Chryssides
Dr George D. Chryssides is Honorary Research Fellow in
Contemporary Religion at the University of Birmingham, after being
Head of Religious Studies at the University of Wolverhampton,
UK, from 2001 to 2008. George Chryssides obtained a First Class
Honours MA degree in philosophy at the University of Glasgow,
and a First Class Honours Bachelor of Divinity in systematic
theology. He subsequently undertook postgraduate research at
the University of Oxford, obtaining his doctorate in 1974.
Since 1980, George Chryssides’ main interest has been
new religious movements, on which he has authored numerous books and scholarly articles.
Recent publications include Historical Dictionary of Jehovah’s Witnesses (2008), Heaven’s Gate:
Postmodernity and Popular Culture in a Suicide Group (2011), Historical Dictionary of New Religious
Movements (2012), The Bloomsbury Companion to New Religious Movements (co-edited with
Benjamin E. Zeller, 2014), and Jehovah’s Witnesses: Continuity and Change (2015). He is a regular
presenter at national and international conferences.
Keynote Presentation | George D. Chryssides
“Unchanging Truth? – Not in the Study of
Religion”
Tuesday
July 3
40665 14:00-14:30 | Shelley Room (2F)
The Richest, The Whitest, The Buddhists: White Supremacy and Western Buddhism
Christine Murphy, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
Contemporary Buddhism in the United States and Europe is often divided into one of two categories: cultural and converted. This paper looks at the growing phenomenon of the socio-economic and political elite co-opting and appropriating Buddhist identities, practices, texts, theologies, and aesthetics into distinctly Western, technologically-focused, interpretations. In particular, the rise of popular marketing tactics, scientifically and psychologically legitimized secular mindfulness trainings and prescriptions, and the increase in prominent, public, Western Buddhist figures. This paper asks the question, are these developments the product of a balanced dialogue between Buddhist and Western culture and identity? Or is this another example of spiritual imperialism, one perpetuated by a racist and sexist ideology of supremacy? It is inevitable that a religion, when brought to a new linguistic, cultural, and historical world, will be altered and adapted to best suit the needs of the followers, but at what point does the change between East and West reflect colonial prejudices rather than organic development? This paper investigates these questions, touching on the colonial and orientalist history of Buddhism in North America and Europe, as well as the contemporary influences of technology, social media, and popular culture.
42256 14:30-15:00 | Shelley Room (2F)
Surviving Customs of Pilgrimage to Olive Trees in North Africa
Tamaki Kitagawa, University of Tsukuba, Japan
In spite of the recent rise of fundamentalism within Islam, Muslims in North Africa have continued to engage in religious activities involving the veneration of natural objects, usually in connection with the veneration of saints. Traditionally, olive farmers in South Tunisia perform ziyāra, or short local pilgrimage, to old olive trees as well as to saints' graves at different times of a year. There they observe harvest festivals and rites of passage and make personal petitions. Based on the results of my fieldwork, this study examines the practice in an Amazigh community that could be called Village T, a relatively isolated village in the Demmer mountain chain where ziyāra to olive trees is preserved. As ziyāra to olive trees is described by participants with ambiguous and obscure references to saints, spirits, and ancestors, the object of veneration is an olive-saint complex, revealing that archaic factors from outside Islam influence their belief and practice. This custom is an example of how the veneration of trees, spirits, ancestors, and the earth mother have survived within monotheism as saint veneration. Pilgrimage to olive-saint complexes is an agricultural ritual in which the experience of the tree's presence awakens a sense of cosmogony and of healing and renewal in troubled times. The veneration of olive-saint complexes represents an experience of the world's renewal through contact with the sacred through the peculiar symbolism of old olive trees.
41211 15:00-15:30 | Shelley Room (2F)
"Belief in God" Does Not Cause Evil: A Response to Richard Dawkins
Daniel Dei, Valley View University, Ghana
Agana-Nsiire Agana, Valley View University, Ghana
Dawkins' The God Delusion renews an old debate concerning the existence or nonexistence of God at the instance of moral and physical/ natural evil in society. He repudiates all theistic claims on grounds that “belief in God” is the sole cause of evil in the society. He installs atheism in place of theism, claiming the former is a better alternative. By means of an ethical inquiry, this article responds to Dawkins' claim that “belief in God” is the cause of evil. The article probes the relationship between religion and reality, “belief in God” and the problem of evil, and the relevance of atheism in present-day society. The article reveals that evil is caused neither by theism nor atheism. Rather, it resides in the corrupt human nature that occurred shortly after the creation of humanity. Thus the article concludes that evil is caused and maintained by humanity's inordinate desire for self-preservation at any cost.
