The Logic of Our Activism: Applying a developmental theory lens..

Presented by UBC’s Equity & Inclusion Office and St. John's College:

The Logic of Our Activism: Applying a developmental theory lens to the project of changing the world

UBC campus is home to many efforts to inspire change in the world. Whether the cause is the environment, queer rights, racial equality, language preservation, or the advancement of a specific political position, UBC community members can usually find a way to engage in what we may broadly call activism. Activist circles often discuss tactics and strategies: What tools do we use to achieve our goals? It is rarer that we talk explicitly about the logic of our actions: What are our ways of making sense of the world, our theories of change? And to what degree do our tactics and strategies match our theories? This lecture and community dialogue provides an opportunity for UBC change-makers or aspiring change makers, to examine themselves and the groups or movements they are involved with, by applying the lens of development theory. Join us as we engage in conversation that illuminates the dominant action-logic governing the forms of activism we observe and engage in, and think through what it might mean to evolve our activism to be more impactful and effective.

Lunch: Persian Buffet

Bill Torbert (PhD) is a leading scholar of developmental theory who has articulated a personal and organizational evolution path consisting of eight action-logics. He is a retired leadership professor who taught at Southern Methodist University, Harvard University and Boston College and was once a student activist on the Yale campus.

Aftab Erfan (PhD) is the director of dialogue and conflict engagement at UBC’s Equity & Inclusion Office, and an instructor in the School of Community and Regional Planning. She was shaped by the youth environmental movement in Canada. She is a co-author, with Bill Torbert, of papers and presentations on developmental action inquiry.

Price: Lunch is provided for $10 for faculty and staff, free for students