Call for contributions

At the XVIIIth International Congress on Personal Construct Psychology we would like to welcome contributions exploring the theme:

PCP and constructivism: ways of working, learning and living

Our aim is to encourage and support lively conversation and debate in order to clearly define and richly implement different positions, which are present in our Constructivist Mainstream. Contributions exploring new topics and themes using PCP will be warmly welcomed.

During the Congress it will be possible to present papers and posters, and arrange symposia. Since the idea of the Congress as a ‘Social Laboratory’ is central, we would like to encourage, alongside the more traditional papers and presentations, a range of experiments in sharing and co-creating activities such as workshops, debates, round tables, working groups and philo-café.

It is planned to have a chairperson when necessary to facilitate and guarantee timing and discussion.

In more detail, the activities planned are:

Paper

Standard format: 30 minutes + 15 minutes for discussion.

Symposium

At least two connected presentations, focussing on the same issue. Duration: 90, 135 or 180 minutes (e.g. for 2 papers: 10 minutes to introduce the theme, 30 minutes for each + 20 minutes for collective discussion).

Workshop

Experiential activity. Duration: 90 or 180 minutes.

Round table

Two or more people interested in a specific topic present their point of view, discuss with each other and with the public. Duration: 90 or 180 minutes.

Working group

A group of people interested in a specific topic gets together to discuss their ideas, concerns, or research plans. There is no need to do a formal presentation, but it is necessary that one or two people take on the role of discussion leaders. At the end of the meeting, the group leader puts together a quick PowerPoint presentation (or a poster or other creative report) to be presented to the conference participants. Duration: 90 or 180 minutes.

Philo-café

A philo-café is an organized but informal debate that aims at establishing a philosophical exchange democratically distributing the right to speak amongst the participants. It strives to induce "philosophic moments” to discuss and explore the various meanings, in the form of a collective search on a particular subject. It is planned to dedicate a free space to this ‘open’ activity during the congress. It is not necessary to propose a theme or book now. The number of sessions of philo-café may be limited on the basis of space availability. Duration: 90 or 180 minutes.

Poster

There is an opportunity to present posters in the usual way.

The deadline for submission of abstracts is: March 5th, 2009

Please, download the submission form and send it to Massimo Giliberto (Chair) .