Global Economy and Cultures Project 3rd International Consultation and Experts Meeting June 29 - July 5, 2003 Third International Consultation The Third International Consultation of the Global Economy and Cultures (GEC) Project was hosted by Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. The Consultation was held at the Bunn Intercultural Center on the Georgetown campus in Washington, DC from June 29 to July 3, 2003, followed by an Experts Meeting on July 5, 2003. The meeting involved ten narrators and six experts in various fields, along with six facilitators from Woodstock. The format of this working meeting consisted of individual narrative work, regional group discussions, reports to the plenary group, and large group plenary discussions. The environment of the consultation was characterized by prayerful Ignatian reflection, structured analysis and dialogue, and frank intercultural discussions. The Ignatian way of proceeding shaped the atmosphere of the meeting. Mornings began with prayer that included reading a passage from the documents of the 34th General Congregation (GC34) of the Society of Jesus. At the close of each half-day session, participants took time to reflect on the meeting, turning their awareness to their consolations, desolations, and unanswered questions. Consultation objectives The overall objectives of our meeting were the following: To apply the Ignatian discernment method of experience, reflection, decision, and action to our analysis of the narratives in order to improve our efforts to build justice and peace. To collect insights for the development of deep "explanatory texts" describing what is happening in the economic globalization process within the cultural context of each individual and community. For each narrator to begin building action plans, based on learnings from the reflection process.   Participants and their roles The participants of the Consultation included:   Narrators: Country and Center Narrative Title 1 Bernardo Lestienne Brazil Centro Cultural de Brasília La Transformación de la Pastoral Obrera en Brasil 2 and 3 David Velasco Yáñez and Gabriela Gorjón Salcedo Mexico ITESO, Guadalajara Jorge Enrique 4 Jane Remson USA Twomey Center, New Orleans, Louisiana The Blueprint Story 5 Jean Jacques Tene Cameroon; Hekima College, Kenya Media, Culture, Commerce, and Globalization: The Story of Marie 6 Josep Mària Spain Centre Cristianisme i Justicia / ESADE, Barcelona Xenia and Her Friends 7 Kim Chong-dae South Korea Jesuit Social Apostolate, Hanmom Community, Seoul People of Songsu Industrial District: The Story of Mee-Rah 8 Leonard Chiti Zambia / Zimbabwe Silveira House, Zimbabwe and Hekima College; Kenya Structural Adjustment and Globalization: Chibwe Chanda the Cigarette Worker 9 Robin Schweiger Slovenia Social Apostolate for Central and Eastern Europe The Life Story of Mr. Peter Ljubic and His Family 10 Tony Herbert India Prerana Resource Center, Hazaribagh Where Will You Go?: The Story of Shanti 11 A. Xavier John Bosco India Centre for Information, Training, Research, and Action (CITRA), Secunderabad The Chilly Seeds of Andhra Pradesh: The Story of Venkaiah           Experts: Region and Center Area of specialization 12 Carlos Esteban Mejía Solano Europe Jesuit Refugee Services, Rome, Italy Pedagogy 13 Eugène Goussikindey Africa and Madagascar Hekima College, Nairobi, Kenya Theology 14 Jim Redington South Asia Woodstock Theological Center, Washington, DC, USA Theology of Religions 15 Jorge Cela Latin America and the Caribbean Centro de Estudios Sociales P. Juan Montalvo, Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana Sociology 16 Mario Francisco East Asia and Oceania East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI), Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines Cultural Studies and Hermeneutics 17 Mark Allman USA and Canada Woodstock Theological Center, Washington, DC, USA Social Ethics     Facilitators:     18 Juan Floriani Project Advisor-at-Large   19 Gasper Lo Biondo GEC Co-Director   20 Rita Rodriguez GEC Co-Director   21 Terry Armstrong GEC Staff   22 Theresa McCaffrey GEC Staff   23 Allegra da Silva GEC Staff   The role of the narrators was to: Represent and feel with the protagonist of their narrative Provide additional information on narrative and gain new insights Become familiar with the process and its method Plan how to verify the process The role of the experts was to: Meet with the narrators from their assigned region Coach the narrators in the GEC methodology Be an "insight catcher" in the regional group work and in the meeting as a whole The role of the facilitators was to: Serve as interlocutors to experts and narrators Provide methodological support Accompany all in the analysis Process insights   Consultation structure After a morning of overview and orientation, the workweek was divided into six half-day sessions dealing with six analytical themes: consumption, production, migration, social relations, political power relations, and religious experience and expression. The final day of the general meeting was spent developing and discussing actions plans for further work with the protagonists, the social centers, Jesuit universities, and other development actors in the community. Finally, experts and facilitators gathered on July 5th to review the events of the preceding week and glean further insights. The six analytical themes were addressed over six half-day sessions, according to the following structure. The Cameroon narrative (The Story of Marie by Jean Jacques Tene) was used as a model, since it was the most advanced narrative at the time of the meeting. A brief presentation of the Cameroon narrative was given at the start of each working session, to illustrate how one narrator employed the GEC methodology. The narrators worked individually on their narratives, using a structured moral reflection worksheet. The narrators and experts gathered in six regional groups: Africa and Madagascar, Eastern and Western Europe, South Asia, East Asia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, and USA and Canada. In the regional groups, the narrators discussed their work with the other member(s) of the group (one expert plus one other narrator, in some cases). The large group reconvened to hear presentations by two narrators of different regions. A plenary discussion on the theme opened up the floor for comparisons and contrasts among narratives and regions.   GEC and Consultation methodology and achievements The GEC methodology, as well as the methodology used at the Consultation, is based on the Ignatian method of discernment. These are the steps followed before and during the consultation: Pre-Consultation Experiencing: The narrators were called upon to experience what the lives of their individual protagonists were like, in as much detail as possible. Understanding: After entering deeply into their protagonists' experiences and the local cultural contexts, the narrators took a step back, and asked the question - what does this mean? Using a list of cultural traits to initiate the process, the narrators responded to culture questions that tried to uncover the meaning of the changes the protagonists were experiencing given their cultural/religious contexts. During Consultation Judging: Having examined the facts of the narratives within the protagonists' cultural and religious values before the consultation, at the meeting the narrators identified areas of tension between traditional cultural traits and choices the protagonists were weighing, in light of the changing economic context. Then, through a structured process of moral reflection, the narrators searched for what was "good" in the situation and should be built upon, and what was "bad" and needed to be discarded. Deciding: Given the preceding work, on the last day of the consultation, the narrators were asked to consider the question of what could be done to empower protagonists and their communities to address their situation and to prepare action plans to achieve the stated goals.  Action Plans The narrators' action plans fall into four categories: Verifying the narrators' analyses with the protagonists and supporting decisions and action plans by the protagonists. Exploring how the narrators' Social Centers can adapt the GEC methodology to assist and empower the community to: (1) understand how economic globalization is affecting their lives, (2) identify options for dealing with the new situation, and (3) decide on an action path. The narrators' thorough evaluations of the economic globalization impact on the protagonists and their communities' lives within cultural contexts provided new insights into possible development alternatives and new partnerships. To begin developing these partnerships, the other two action plans call for: Approaching one or more faculty or researchers in a Jesuit or Catholic university in the vicinity of the narrators' institutions. Involving potential partners in development relevant to the protagonists and the communities' action plans.   Explanatory Texts As the narrators begin to implement their action plans, the GEC coordinators have begun analyzing the many insights gained during the consultation.  These are being organized around the six analytical themes mentioned above and will constitute the explanatory texts that the project will refine and verify with the project participants over the coming months before final publication.  These texts also will provide the starting material for a final project consultation planned for November 2004. Evaluations On the final day of the consultation, evaluations were distributed to all narrators, experts, and facilitators.  The following represent average scores received (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest): Area Average Rating Coordination/Facilitation 4.73 Methodology 4.20 Logistics and Organization 4.73 Schedule 3.87 Working Material 4.73 Participant Testimony: I understood the story of Mee-rah [protagonist of Korea narrative] much better from the responses from others. At the same time new questions arose. I was struck by the importance of conversation and dialogue. As a result of the consultation, I have greater energy for and understanding of the project and see myself more connected with others, especially the protagonists and narrators. - J.M.C. Francisco, SJ Expert, Asia Through this week, Marie and Chanda [protagonists of African narratives] became real faces to me. It was an effort to listen to the essential in the experience of the protagonist. It has been demanding to go beyond the narrative to get the appropriate insight. Most rewarding is the vision that the person is essential. A source of light for me was the discovery that the real concern is the people, not just the economic criteria and problems. - Eugene Goussikindey, SJ Expert, Africa I was struck by the need to look more openly to other available actors, the need to engage the community itself in facing possible choices. A highlight for me was meeting a wide range of people across cultural differences. At the same time we were faced with the difficulty of "getting into" the remote cultural situation of some of the other protagonists. - Tony Herbert, SJ Narrator, India Through the meeting, I was able to have a unified view of the whole work by re-exploring the whole process. I had the opportunity to know better my protagonist and what she has gone through during her life. I was really touched and encouraged to see the immensity of the work I did, having it assembled in this meeting. I was moved by the courage shown by the protagonists of our different narratives in the way they handled their situations. - Jean Jacques Tene, SJ Narrator, Cameroon   GEC Home  |  Last Updated October 25, 2005