FREEDOM & VIRTUE:
Re-Inventing Free Institutions in an Era of Globalization
HILTON, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, USA, 6-9 August 2015
In a postmodern era that brackets God and perceives all values and norms as equally subjective, social bonds have attenuated. Already Daniel Bell pointed out in The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism (1976) that the contemporary crisis of civilization reflects a lack of a transcendentally grounded ethic, a public philosophy, and a sustaining religious faith. Science, technology, trade, and communications now drive all aspects of life in the global village, with novel challenges for both individuals and societal institutions. Critics like Simon Head in Mindless (2014) contend that “smarter machines are making dumber humans.” Paradoxically, in an era of instant communications, people have great difficulty in establishing and sustaining meaningful relationships. The Internet and social media in particular tend to erase the boundary between the private and the public. The breakdown of the traditional family–the basic building block of society–is a growing concern, chronicled in Charles Murray’s Coming Apart (2013). The prospect of atomized individuals in a mass society tethered to a materialistic worldview, who can be manipulated easily by commercial interests or political ideologies, defines a new vulnerability, with far-reaching consequences for society, at home and abroad. The central question, then, is: How to re-establish the proper balance between self and society, the private and the public? Can the major social institutions–the family, civil society, education, business, and government–be re-invented to further both freedom and virtue?
KEYNOTE: FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015:
“CULTURE AND THE MEANING AND QUALITY OF LIFE”
Arthur Pontynen, Author, Cultural Renewal: Restoring the Liberal and Fine Arts
FREEDOM & VIRTUE 2015 SYMPOSIUM GUIDELINES:
FREEDOM & VIRTUE 2015 endeavors to bring together scholars from a wide range of disciplines and denominations for an exciting international conference that takes both scholarship and faith seriously. Symposium Venue: JIS 2015 Symposium is co-sponsored by IIR-ICSA-JIS in the City of the Roses–the world-famous Tournament of Roses–in sunny Southern California, with many cultural/sightseeing opportunities. Send Abstracts (250 words) to: Dr. O. Gruenwald, JIS Editor, 1065 Pine Bluff Dr., Pasadena, CA 91107, USA, per e-mail (no attachments) to: JIS 2015 Symposium (click for e-mail). Include: Paper Title, First & Last Name, faculty or student, mailing address, phone & e-mail. Publication: Fully-developed papers will be considered for publication in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies XXVIII 2016. Bonus: All attendees will receive a complimentary JIS copy. Conference Web:www.JIS3.org/symposium2015. Registration: Symposium participants must preregister: $100 by 15 April 2015; $125 after 15 April 2015; $150 after 1 June 2015.
FREEDOM & VIRTUE 2015 SYMPOSIUM STRUCTURE:
Check-In: Thursday, August 6, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Hilton Pasadena. Reception: Thursday, August 6, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Main Symposium Program: Friday, August 7, 8:45 AM – 9:00 PM; Saturday, August 8, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Sunday, August 9: Cultural/Ecclesial/Sightseeing. Format: Multidisciplinary panels and papers. Participants are encouraged to attend the entire conference to enhance dialogue, synergy, and synthesis, as well as fellowship. Presenting a paper is not a prerequisite for participation. Indicate if you prefer to serve as discussant. Family members enjoy the reduced student registration rate. Audio-Visual Equipment: Bring laptop or flash drive if desired for PowerPoint presentation. Cultural/Sightseeing: Before or after the conference. Optional Field Trip: Norton Simon Museum (August 9).
TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS:
Lodging: We recommend that conference participants make their hotel and airline reservations as soon as possible. Hilton Pasadena Reservations: 1-800-445-8667; 1-626-577-1000. Cultural/sightseeing/travel/accommodations: Contact Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitpasadena.com; 1-800-307-7977 or 1-626-795-9311. Bring an alarm clock and a sweater or jacket for cooler mornings and evenings. Ground Transportation: Hilton Pasadena (168 S. Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101) may be reached from the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via shuttles, e.g., Super Shuttle (shared ride $25): 1-800-258-3826, or rent-a-car (ca. 45 minute drive).
FREEDOM & VIRTUE 2015 REGISTRATION FORM:
First and Last Name (Please Print)____________________________________________________________________
Institution/Street Address ________________________________________________________________________
City ____________________________ State______________________ ZIP__________
Telephone ________________________ E-Mail __________________________________
REGISTRATION FEE:
| By April 15, 2015: | After April 15, 2015: | After June 1, 2015: | Totals: |
| ____ Regular: $100 | ____ Regular: $125 | ____ Regular: $150 | $ ______ |
| ____ Student: $ 75 | ____ Student: $100 | ____ Student: $100 | $ ______ |
TOTAL REGISTRATION: $ _______
Money Order/Travelers Check in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank, payable to: ICSA.
Mail Form & Payment to: Dr. O. Gruenwald, 1065 Pine Bluff Dr., Pasadena, CA 91107, USA.
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JIS 2015 Symposium Registration: |