| Human Rights in a New Political and Social Environment
Social Issues Open Forum |
Program Session #: 1792 | Submission: 18200 | Sponsor(s): (SIM)
Scheduled: Tuesday, Aug 8 2017 9:45AM - 11:15AM at Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Marquis Salon D
Dear SIMians,
For the first time, at this year's Academy of Management annual meeting, the Social Issues in Management Division has decided to do something a little different. Instead of a normal plenary session, we are hosting an Open Forum on "Human Rights in a New Political and Social Environment." We were motivated by recent changes to the world order that prompted significant discussion, in addition to many member comments and concerns about our division's role in the new social and political landscape. The world is indeed changing, as evidenced by the recent rise of populism across the globe, the elections in the United States and the Brexit decision, among other developments. As a result, the political conversation is changing and many ideas that seemed to be widely shared (e.g., globalism, multi-culturalism, etc.) are now coming into question. Our intention for this session is to discuss big ideas regarding where the division needs to go (both in research and in the classroom) to create and sustain a dialogue about the place of SIM in social and policy debates.
Our Open Forum is open to all SIM members, as well as members of other divisions, to address the following questions:
1. What is the public role of an academic in the current political and social environment?
2. What is SIM's role and responsibility as a group of scholars in this regard?
In essence, how can we talk about human rights, social justice, and political issues in a productive manner when there are points of both convergence and divergence? How can we cope with these global changes? What is the value of our scholarship and teaching, and what should it be? We will discuss how SIM can constructively engage this topic as a division and how this should be manifested in our research, teaching, and advocacy on campuses.
This important session will begin with a brief panel discussion composed of the SIM Division's Governance Team. Each member of the board will offer very brief thought questions for research and pedagogy in their specific areas of expertise and interest.
Harry Van Buren (University of New Mexico): Human rights
Jamie Hendry (Bucknell University): Sustainability
Doug Schuler (Rice University): Political Activity
David Wasieleski (Duquesne University): Ethics and Cognition
Jill Brown (Bentley University): Corporate Governance
Andy Wicks (University of Virginia): Stakeholder Management and Ethics
Following the panel's initial framing of the issues and questions in each discipline, we will form break-out groups around each area for participants to discuss how to address them. Then, after the 20-minute small group discussion rounds, we will reconvene as a larger group to engage in an interactive conversation.
We look forward to seeing you at this session. It is important for helping determine the future roads we take in an uncertain world.
David Wasieleski (Program Chair, SIM Division)