Div. 9 (Society for the Psychological Study of Social IssuesSPSSI)
Psychology's role in uniting concern for biodiversity and conflict resolution is the topic of a miniconvention on Biodiversity, Peace Parks/Transnational Boundaries and Conflict Resolution, to be held during APA's Annual Convention in Washington, D.C., Aug. 6.
Featuring lecturers from all over the world from the psychology field and other sciences, the miniconvention will focus on conflict resolution at the global and local levels.
Ethel Tobach, PhD, from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, brought the idea of peace parks and biodiversity to psychologists' attention after listening to Ke Chung Kim, PhD, discuss the importance of preserving the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Kim, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, believes the zone may facilitate conflict resolution between the two governments, and provide a sanctuary for species to replenish their numbers. Tobach saw an opportunity for psychologists to get more involved in helping people find peaceful solutions to conflicts.
"It is well established in social psychology, when there is disagreement between groups or individuals, finding something they both care about that affects them helps bring about peaceful resolutions," says Tobach.
The demilitarized zone between North and South Korea serves as a creative example of a "peace park"--areas set aside for common use between countries. Kim will discuss the idea of the zone as a peace park at the miniconvention. In these designated peace parks, people are encouraged to work in a joint proj-ect that is important for the welfare of all, instead of resorting to military solutions to border problems.
In addition, Niles Eldredge, PhD, a paleontologist from the American Museum of Natural History, will discuss the world's ecosystem, which houses 10 million species yet is losing 30,000 a year due to overharvesting of fish and timberland, urbanization and overpopulation.
The miniconvention is a joint effort of Divs. 9, 6 (Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology), 19 (Military), 34 (Population and Environmental Psychology), 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues), 48 (Peace) and 52 (International).
For more information on the miniconvention, consult the 2000 Convention Program catalogue.
To learn more about SPSSI's involvement, contact Tobach at tobach@amnh.org.
--M. WATERS
