May
2015

Take a Look!
Content Links



HumanDHSWorld Dignity University Logo

There is a lot of wonderful news to share! We hope you enjoy reading this very special edition of "Take a Look." In particular, we are thrilled to announce that Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies' (HumanDHS) Founding President Evelin Lindner is among the 2015 Nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize. We invite you to read her reflections about this far-reaching sign of appreciation that honors the efforts of our entire community!
Appreciating the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Nomineesnobelprize
Nobel Prize Medal
Nobel Prize Medal
Please allow us to recognize the remarkable individuals and groups who were nominated for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize this last February! You can see a list of nominees here.

We are especially delighted that included on this list, as representative of our HumanDHS network, is Evelin Lindner, our Founding President. Her nomination is an affirmation of our global dignity work and her forty years of service and action to bring peace and dignity into the lives of all people. Please see her nomination here.

We invite you to join us in appreciating Evelin's nomination by reading her reflections below: 

Evelin Lindner
Evelin Lindner, MD, PhDs
Honoring All Who Work for Dignity and Peace

Dear Friends! 
Please allow me to begin by expressing my deepest admiration for all those individuals and groups who were nominated for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. I would also like to profoundly thank all those who included me in this nomination in recognition of the efforts of our dignity community.
 
To be counted among the extraordinary individuals and groups considered to be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize is a humbling, breathtaking, and overwhelming honor. It gives me the courage to explore how my own life project connects with the efforts of many past Nobel Laureates. In particular, I think of Bertha von Suttner, who was not only the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1905, her work was said to be Alfred Nobel's inspiration for including peace as a category among awards for chemistry, physics, physiology, medicine, and literature. 

 

The message of von Suttner's 1889 novel, Die Waffen nieder! ("Lay Down Your Arms!"), is both daring and path-breaking. When I read this book, I was deeply touched by its power and how it provides direction and courage to us as much now as when it was written. Bertha von Suttner forged a trail and a tradition of peace work that set the highest of standards. It is at the heart of Alfred Nobel's vision of demilitarization and the soul of the Nobel Peace Prize. Her example places an enormous responsibility on humanity's shoulders to stay true to it. Personally, I profoundly feel this responsibility, and it shapes and defines every minute of my life.


Gratitude, Questions, and Dilemmas

In the midst of feelings of great honor and gratitude, this nomination challenges me to also reflect on questions and dilemmas associated with this highest of prizes. I am keenly aware that these dilemmas need to be explained. For example, I know that bringing peace and dignity into the world is not even possible through individual achievement. It cannot be derived from recognition resulting from receiving an award. Awards and recognitions can bring attention to an important cause, yet awards can also be misunderstood.

 

This nomination is an opportunity to let everybody know that our HumanDHS work is always about the message, not about the messenger. It is not about me being in a race for a prize or "winning." Such concepts are antithetical to the very spirit of our dignity work. If "good luck" wishes or "congratulations" were sent to me as an individual, this would rather sadden me because I would feel that my mission has failed. Instead, each of us deserves good luck with our efforts. Each of us deserves congratulations for uniting as a global community dedicated to bringing dignity and peace into the lives of others. I wish this nomination to be understood as a recognition of our past progress and an encouragement of our future efforts as a community.

 

I see this nomination as a call for compassionate action and cooperation. We can't wait for politicians, global leaders, or even Nobel Prize winners to lead us to the peace we seek in the world. A global citizens' movement is the only force that is large enough to face the scope of present-day obstacles to peace. Enduring peace requires gathering a global community of collaborators who share in this effort and maintain it over long periods of time, also in the face of adversities. The path to peace grows by cultivating mutually dignifying relationships, relationships that realize the spirit of the African concept of ubuntu, "I am because we are."  

 

Therefore, I can only feel comfortable with an individual nomination by making it utterly clear that my contribution is to serve and nurture a global dignity movement. I am thankful that the nomination gives me a special opportunity to emphasize the significance of connection and collaboration in our shared endeavor to offer our children a peaceful and dignified world. 

 

There is also the dilemma of different approaches to peace. Working globally, I strive to manifest peace and dignity in every step of my efforts, aspiring to dignity in all actions and initiatives. This emphasis stands in contrast to other long-held approaches. Please allow me to briefly explain. During the past millennia of human history, the world was much less interconnected than today. In a compartmentalized world, the security dilemma reigned: "I have to amass weapons, because I am scared. When I amass weapons, you get scared. You amass weapons, I get more scared." In the context of a strong security dilemma, out-group relations follow the motto of Vegetius, "if you want peace, prepare for war," or that of Carl von Clausewitz, "the best defense is a good offense." In such a context, it appears to be prudent to build strong-arm systems that define peace in terms of stability and control. Under these conditions only "small peace" is possible, and it is extremely praiseworthy to work for it, while the larger context itself resists deeper change.

 

Norway 2014

At the present historical juncture, the unprecedented level of global interconnectedness forces us to deeply rethink methods that grew out of the logic of the security dilemma. We can no longer afford to be content with peace defined as control; we need to aim for more ambitious manifestations of peace. There is a need to be the practice of the peace we seek. As Gandhi observed, "There is no path to peace. Peace is the path."

 

My forty years of living globally have demonstrated to me in myriad ways, small and large, that escalating militarization does not work; particularly when cycles of humiliation traverse the globe at high speed. Aided by new technology, militarization creates a short-term thin illusion of security, a mirage. Humanity is at a crossroad, and it is overdue to move beyond being warriors, even warriors for peace. We can do better. We can commit ourselves to doing everything we can to prevent the seeds of violent conflict from ever being planted. This means leaving behind confrontational traditions and styles of communication and preventing and reversing cycles of humiliation and violence, and instead cultivating a global climate of equal dignity enriched by a spirit of unity in our human diversity.

 

Some may suspect that I am a starry-eyed idealist, yet nothing could be further from the truth. My experience as a citizen of the world has taught me that, indeed, "if we want peace, we must prepare for peace" by patiently and persistently repairing, rebuilding, and replenishing relationships. Ultimately, this will be the most practical, efficient, and sustainable path to peace in our age of interconnectedness -- and everyone can join in this effort. The future of humanity depends on our capacity to live within our planetary boundaries in mutually dignifying relationships.

 

As many other questions and dilemmas are brought to mind by this nomination, please allow me to share one more. With great sincerity and respect, I recognize the tradition of secrecy that surrounds the naming of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize and its important rationales and benefits. Yet, I have begun to accept that the crossroad at which humanity stands calls for exceptional interventions. Humanity needs a wake-up call to see and grasp the historical opportunity for peace, rather than allowing the floor to be dominated by the noise of the drama flowing from ceaseless confrontation. I enthusiastically join in celebrating the creativity and courage of all those nominees who do crucial peace-generating, world-saving work, and who, by their actions, walk the talk of peace.

 

My Ongoing Outlook

The image of the Blue Planet stands for a historically unprecedented time, a call to re-evaluate everything that history has taught humankind so far. I wonder why we, as humankind at large, seem to overlook the historic opportunity that is open to us, a window that may not stay open for much longer. Why do we overlook that we can co-create a decent world for future generations, a future without war in any of its forms? Why are military budgets still so big? Human rights promise equality in dignity, so why is inequality on the rise? Why do so few people grasp the fact that global interconnectedness makes a world without war more feasible than ever? Why do the world's citizens allow a global government/corporate nexus to be stuck in out-of-date competition for domination, competition that fuels war, violence, and environmental destruction? Above all, I ask, how can we work together to harvest the best of what helps create a dignified future, and leave behind what stands in the way?


Our HumanDHS community is one way of working together to bring forth the best of what helps create a dignified future for all people. Each of us is contributing according to our ability, and thanks to all of you, throughout the past decade, we have nurtured a dedication to dignity on all continents. We have formed a global family of scholars, activists, organizers, educators, and many others who join us on this long and hard path to peace. We walk our talk by being a social movement that nurtures diversity, rather than a traditional top-down organization where one opinion rules. This means also that not all of my opinions are necessarily shared by all members in our movement, nor should they. In a world in which the concept of Homo dominator and Homo economicus seems to be the call of the day, our work flourishes by sharing the ego-free, renewable "super fuels" of Homo amans, which are love and humility.

My nomination shines a light on the importance of our shared quest. In celebrating this nomination, I urge us to remember that our efforts together are much bigger and more important than any prize. I wish to express my personal gratitude to the many thousands of members of our global dignity movement, in particular those at the very core of our dignity work. This work is possible only through holding hands with Linda Hartling in shared ubuntu-satyagraha leadership and through the support of pillars of our work, Rick Slaven, Michael Britton, and Uli Spalthoff. Since February, the nomination has already had invaluable results for our global community. In a world where speaking up for dignity is often difficult or even dangerous, this nomination has already brought greater safety and support to members who dare to speak up, even when at risk. It is this type of courage-through-connection that energizes our collaborative efforts to build a world that dignifies the lives of all people.


I call on each of you to realize that my nomination is your nomination for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize!

 

With loving gratitude,
Evelin Lindner, MD, PhDs
Founding President, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies


Encouraging Everyone's Commitment to Dignity and Peace
You are Warmly Invited to Share Your Reflections

Each of us plays a vital role in bringing greater dignity and peace into the world. In recognition and appreciation of our global collaboration, we would love to hear your reflections, that is, what inspires your efforts and ongoing commitment to cultivating dignity and peace in the world? Thank you for allowing us to share your reflections with the many members of our global dignity family. You are warmly invited to post your message here

 

Your words will encourage our HumanDHS community and encourage all who work for a world of peace, a world that dignifies the lives of all people.

NURC
Introducing the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission
Republic of Rwanda 

June 2nd - 5th, 2015
25th Annual Human Dignity and
Humiliation Studies Conference
Kigali, Rwanda

We have many exciting updates for our 25th Annual HumanDHS Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. Organized in cooperation with our World Dignity University initiative, we are looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community to learn from the people of Rwanda who have suffered unspeakable tragedy, betrayed by the world, and who are rebuilding dignity through courage and resilience.

 

We are particularly delighted to introduce our HumanDHS community to the work of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), which is graciously providing a meeting space for this event. The NURC's efforts are an inspiration for all who strive for unity and reconciliation in the world. Please join us in expressing our gratitude for their kindness. We are looking forward to learning all that we can from the NURC's remarkable work. 

 

Updates for Participants:

  • Please kindly double-check your calendar, as well as your travel and accommodation plans. The date of our conference is June 2nd - 5th (previously June 5th - 8th). Please see our conference webpage for the latest information about accommodations and transportation.
  • For those who are new to our global conferences, please kindly allow us to describe our unique approach. Rather than using a traditional lecture/presentation format, we come together to co-create a program that emphasizes conversations and collaborationWith this format, we intend to create a mutually dignifying experience for all involved. The format begins by inviting participants to propose ideas for dialogue; then we select shared topics of interest and agree on the schedule for dialogue sessions; and, in concluding, we share the important highlights of these dialogues. We like to call these sessions "Dignilogues" (Dignity + Dialogue). This collaborative format allows us to define and design the entire conference experience as a community, beginning on the very first day. We therefore invite you to bring your own ideas for a Dignilogue that you wish to lead.
     
  • In preparation for the conference, we would love to have all participants fill out an     Appreciative Introduction. Thank you for kindly printing this form and bringing it with you. Also, if you wish to have your introduction uploaded to our conference page, you are warmly invited to send it to our conference email address as an attachment. Thank you!
     
  • For those of you who can only be with us in spirit (rather than in person), we warmly invite you to email us your personal greetings to share with our HumanDHS friends in Rwanda.
Appreciation and Participation

Emmanuel Ndahimana

Please join us in expressing our deepest appreciation to our Conference Convener Emmanuel Ndahimana, longtime member of the HumanDHS Global Advisory Board. We would like to thank him for all of his efforts on behalf of the HumanDHS community, especially for bringing HumanDHS into a mutually supportive connection with NURC.

 

If you would like to participate in this conference and have not yet registered with us, please kindly send your message, along with your CV or other introductory information, to: [email protected] 

 

Please see additional details about this conference as this event develops... 

December 3rd - 4th, 2015workshop2015
12th Annual Workshop on Transforming
Humiliation and Violent Conflict
Columbia University, Teachers College, New York City

Please consider joining us for our annual Workshop on Transforming Humiliation and Violent Conflict, December 3rd - 4th, 2015. This workshop provides our community with a rare opportunity to explore and discuss a multitude of topics and initiatives designed to prevent and reduce all forms of humiliation and violent conflict. Please visit last year's workshop webpage to see how we go about this event.

 

There are many ways to participate. Please let us know as early as you can if you would like to join us, particularly if you would like to contribute to one of our Dignilogue Sessions (Dignity + Dialogue Sessions). We rotate contributors, and we often find our preplanned Dignilogue Sessions filled by May. In addition, you may enjoy being a facilitator or a contributor to our new Co-Created Dignilogue Sessions, or, in general, we would be delighted to have your participation as a supporter or observer. We invite all participants to share their reflections, abstracts, and papers with everyone by sending us their materials (Powerpoint or Word files) in advance to post on our workshop website. 

 

You are warmly invited to regularly visit our workshop webpage as it is continuously updated as this event unfolds. If you would like to participate, please kindly send your message, along with your CV or other introductory information, to: [email protected] 

 

You are also invited to mark your calendars to join us for this annual workshop in December of 2016 and December of 2017.

Fall 2015elearning
Human Dignity, Human Rights, and Sustainable Post-Disaster Reconstruction
University of Massachusetts, Boston
This online course provides learners with the opportunity to earn graduate or professional credit while they explore mutually dignifying and sustainable ways of responding to disasters. It is offered through the Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and instructed by Linda Hartling, Evelin Lindner, Michael Britton, and Uli Spalthoff. Please feel free to download a syllabus. To learn more...
September 19th - 23rd, 2016Dubrovnik
27th Annual Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Conference
Cities at Risk: 
From Humiliation to Dignity 
Dubrovnik, Croatia
We warmly invite you to join us for our 2016 HumanDHS Conference in Croatia. This conference will be organized in cooperation with the Interuniversity Center in Dubrovnik and the World Dignity University initiative, in collaboration with the University of Dubrovnik; the University of Oslo, Norway; and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. We want to express our special appreciation to Kjell Skyllstad, a longtime member of the HumanDHS Advisory Board, for his leadership in support of this conference. 

WDU Globe
Dignity Press: Publishing for Peace and Dignitydignitypress

Dignity Press (DP) publishes books that encourage understanding and efforts to advance human dignity around the worldAs indicated by our logo, we look at human dignity from a global perspective. Our authors are from all over the world, and our books address human dignity and humiliation from a variety of perspectives. 

 

Just Published! 

  • Unbounded Organizing - Gavin Andersson and Howard Richards.
    This book provides a hands-on approach for conducting "Organization Workshops," offering a proven method for enhancing collaboration among community members to establish social progress. Crain Soudien, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Education and African Studies, University of Cape Town, writes: "Packed into this small book are truly big things, big ideas, examples of big practices which speak clearly and intelligently into the challenge of living and building a world together in ways that sustain us as individuals and as groups." 

We invite you to visit the DP webpage to learn about all of our publications! 

August 2017
29th Annual Human Dignity and
Humiliation Studies Conference
Dignity in Times of Globalization,
Indore, India
We are thrilled to announce that our 2017 HumanDHS Conference, organized in cooperation with our World Dignity University 
initiative, will be convened in Indore, India! Please join us in thanking Deepak Tripathi for having built such wonderful connections to our host, the Renaissance Indira Group of InstitutionsThe leadership and support of its Director of Public Relations, Amol Mishra, and our event coordinator, Vinita Raj, make this conference possible.  

The Renaissance Indira Group of Institutions was established several years ago in memory of Indira Gandhi, late prime minister of India. Indore is a hub of education and industry and has an illustrious history. It consists of a number of colleges, including a business school and a law school.

Quick Links

Thank you for all you do to create a world of equal dignity for all! 

 

Evelin Lindner, MD, PhDs, Founding President

Linda Hartling, PhD, Director

Uli Spalthoff, PhD, Director of Project Development and Systems Administration   

Michael Britton, EdD, PhD, Board Member  

Richard Slaven, PhD, Director of Dignifunding