Philosophy Study Group
2022-04-11 19:00 - 2022-04-21 21:00 UTC | via Zoom
Note that April 11 is not the second Wednesday of the month, the time we have been meeting recently. We will finish discussing the book, Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & Its Challenge to Western Thought, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson.
This is a long book and we hope that you have been able to read as much of it as possible. If you find that you are unable to read the whole thing, feel free to explore what interests you the most and browse the other areas for useful tidbits.
We do have a couple of suggestions, however. One person who has already read the book suggests that you read the last chapter (Chapter 25) first. And you should also have read all of Part I, since this is the foundation of the authors’ arguments. Also try to read as much of Part II as you can, since this fills in and gives many examples of what the authors are driving at. Part III takes aim at particular philosophers and philosophical schools. Most reviewers have found this the weakest part of the book, with the exception of the chapter on Noam Chomsky and cognitive linguistics. This is not a great surprise, since the authors come from the language side of cognitive research, and Lakoff, a former student of Chomsky, has been debating this topic with Chomsky for a long time. We hope to do a bit of debating ourselves: if not about cognitive linguistics itself, then about some of the other topics alluded to in this book, such as causality, cognition in general, theories of mind, time, ontology, psychology, classical philosophy, epistemology, experimental philosophy, morality, metaphysics, space, linguistics in general, early modern philosophy, objective reality, analytic philosophy, religion, science, and yesterday’s weather.

This Was 2020
2022-04-23 10:00 - 12:00 | via Zoom
What role can the public library play in publishing community voices and creating communitas? The year 2020 was especially difficult for Minnesotans as we weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd’s murder amidst a highly volatile political climate.
Librarians at Ramsey County Library wanted to help connect our community members with each other and us during lockdowns, and this book project became a way to focus some conversations around our shared experiences.
The book as a published object also serves as documentation of community voices, offering our future selves and generations to reflect on some of the most challenging moments of recent times. This presentation offers the story of this book project and the various goals of collecting and connecting community voices.
Paul Lai is a librarian and coordinator of public programs for adults at Ramsey County Library in Shoreview. Previously, he has worked as an editor and web designer for an online university’s writing center, as a faculty member in English at the University of St. Thomas, and in assorted library positions at Hennepin County Library, Minneapolis College, and the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota.
Read the book for free online:

Web version: https://mlpp.pressbooks.pub/thiswas2020/
PDF version: https://library.biblioboard.com/content/1c2cba60-332f-485a-a9d7-c6dea438a6d1

History Study Group
2022-05-04 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
Our next book is: The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. We are taking on the 2021 revised edition that is evidently quite popular as it is a little challenging to track down (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Harvard Bookstore are the only options with stock today).
Ukraine has long been the gateway between East and West. From the Romans and Ottomans to the Third Reich and the Soviet Union, it seems history truly does repeat. Award winning author of multiple titles and current Mykhailo S. Hrushevs’kyi Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard, Ploky provides a great deal of context to better understand the current situation with Russia, and much more.
For this session we are going to read the first 3 Parts: On the Pontic Frontier, East Meets West, and Between the Empires, chapters 1-17 (ending on page 199).

Philosophy Study Group
2022-05-11 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We will begin reading A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century (2001) by Christian Delacampagne. The paperback version retails for around $28 ($23 on Amazon), but there are used books available for less. There is no ebook edition for this title. For the 11th we will read through Part I.
What is unique about this book is that it self-consciously considers the political influences at play in the development of the philosophical positions taken by twentieth century philosophers, claiming that “[p]hilosophy is essentially a political activity.” Whether you agree with that or not after finishing the book is, of course, an open question. Maybe we’ll vote on it.

Ginny Hanson Poetry Day: The Poetry of Donna Issac
2022-05-28 10:00 - 11:30 | via Zoom
Donna Isaac will read from each of her publications as well as new poems she is working on.
Teacher and Poet, Donna Isaac holds English degrees from James Madison University and the University of MN, and her MFA from Hamline University. Her published works include three chapbooks: Tommy (Red Dragonfly Press); Holy Comforter (Red Bird Chapbooks), Persistence of Vision (Finishing Line Press); and a poetry collection, Footfalls (Pocahontas Press).
She helped found the performance chapter of the League of MN Poets, Cracked Walnut, and serves on the Board of Directors. She co-hosts a reading series, Literary Bridges, featured by Next Chapter Booksellers in St. Paul. More information can be found at donnaisaacpoet.com

Philosophy Study Group
2022-06-08 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We will continue reading A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century by Christian Delacampagne. For the 8th we will discuss chapters 2 and 3, in which the author covers the development of Western philosophy during the rise of Hitler and the Second World War. Interestingly, this seems to have influenced some philosophers.

Minnesota in World War II
2022-06-25 10:00 - 10:30 | Robert H. Rohlf Room at Ridgedale Library, Ridgedale MN
What was the reality of war for a state so far from Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan? Learn the stories of ordinary people who went to far flung battlefields or struggled with rationing to provide the tools of war to those in the combat zone. Was Minnesota’s story unique? What was the Greatest Generation of the Gopher State like?
Can veterans and those left behind tell us about how we can deal with disruption and global challenges? Did they have something special which we don’t or can we take assurance that what people like us did before we can do again? Journey back to another time and learn from the experiences of those who fought and waited 80 years ago.
Colonel Don Patton is Executive Director of the Harold Deutsch World War II Roundtable which hosts presentations by leading writers about World War II at the Minnesota Historical Society. The Roundtable has an active student outreach program, includes the voices of World War II veterans in its programs, and organizes annual tours to the battlefields of the war. Colonel Patton is an army veteran who served thirty years including 13 years in command positions with two battalion commands. He graduated from Texas A&M as a Distinguished Military Graduate and received an MBA from the University of Minnesota where he studied under Harold Deutsch a renowned professor of history especially that of World War II. Patton has received the Meritorious Service Medal five times, the Minnesota Superior Civilian Service Award by the Adjunct General of Minnesota and was recognized in 2016 as one of 25 outstanding Minnesota Veterans by the Minnesota Humanities Center for Leadership and Community Contributions.

History Study Group
2022-07-06 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We are still gaining daylight these days – which means you can enjoy our next book almost anywhere: The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science by Seb Falk.
Soaring Gothic cathedrals, violent crusades, the Black Death: these are the dramatic forces that shaped the medieval era. But the so-called Dark Ages also gave us the first universities, eyeglasses, and mechanical clocks, proving that the Middle Ages were home to a vibrant scientific culture.
Our core group is looking forward to the book and we always welcome new perspectives. Please join us, it is sure to be an enlightening session!

Philosophy Study Group
2022-07-13 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We plan to conclude our discussion of A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century by Christian Delacampagne.
Early in my study of philosophy I was told that if you really want to understand a philosopher, you need to understand who or what he or she is responding to. Delacampagne provides this in spades, sometimes to the detriment of the philosophers he is covering. But he gives you a great feeling for the disputes that were going on at the time. And when you reach the end of the book you should have a good sense of what was happening in Western philosophy during the twentieth century, though not necessarily of the details of the philosophies themselves – certainly not in a book this short. The MISF Philosophy Study Group can also give you a good sense of something: that of what other people think about the things that we are reading about. Perhaps we can even knock a little sense into your own views.

Futures Study Group
2022-07-20 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
As mentioned previously, there was interest in hydroponics of raising commercial plants in houses. A related area that has not been touched on is the raising of fish commercially. The area has seen some convergence in a combined system. This area of “boots on the ground” has been minimally mentioned with the rise of alt proteins.
The MN Aquaculture Association is one of the organizers of the August meeting to be in Staples in August of this year. Clarence Bischoff, the president and founder of MNAA and the developer of an aquaponics site in Redwing will present

Philosophy Study Group
2022-08-10 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
For this meeting we are going to begin a discussion about distributive justice. First, we’ll do an overview. Both the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy have articles on distributive justice. You can read either one or both of them for our next meeting. After that, we’ll decide together what direction we want to go. We want to be just here and not distribute disreputably.

Annual Picnic
2022-08-27 10:30 - 14:00 | Cherokee Park Picnic Shelter, Chippewa and Winona St., St. Paul
Come join us at the small picnic shelter in Cherokee Park in St. Paul’s West Side neighborhood for our annual picnic. We will start gathering at 11:30 with serving beginning at 12:00. MISF will provide the plasticware, plates, drinks, grills, and electricity. You provide a dish to share and, optionally, any games you might like. Bring a friend and some good topics of conversation.

History Study Group
2022-09-07 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
Heading Southeast from our last book we travel to Burma. A place greatly influenced by natural disaster, colonial rule, fast-rising inequality, disintegrating state institutions, social media, China next door, climate change, and so much more. Join us as we learn how the 55 million residents look towards the future, by reading and discussing .The Hidden History of Burma: Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century, by ThantMyint-U.
We are reading chapters 1 through 5 for this session. I guarantee it will be a one of a kind event as we learn အတူတကွ.

Global Climate Summit in Egypt November 2022: The Role of Fresh Energy in the Push for Meeting the U.S. Commitment of 50% Reduction in Carbon Emissions
2022-09-24 10:00 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
J. Drake Hamilton, Senior Director, Science Policy, Fresh Energy, will explain that President Biden, on November 1, 2021, was at the Global Climate Summit held in Glasgow, Scotland. To 40,000 people assembled there from 198 countries, Biden committed to reducing U.S. global warming emissions by 50% by the year 2030. She will discuss the factors in meeting the bold American goal, and especially the role of Minnesota and the Midwest in leading the decarbonization of our economy. J. Drake Hamilton will represent Fresh Energy at her 7 th climate summit November 6-18, 2022 (just six weeks after this presentation)
J. Drake Hamilton is Fresh Energy’s senior director of science policy. An expert in climate and energy policy at the state and national levels, her responsibilities include scientific analysis and policy development of clean energy solutions to global warming that will maximize economic opportunities. She represented Fresh Energy at global climate summits, such as the one in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021 and will do so at the one in Egypt in November of 2022, leading a panel of five Minnesotans. Her work at global summits has been featured in the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, on Minnesota Public Radio, and other stations. J. Drake Hamilton earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in physical geography from Dartmouth College and the University of Minnesota, with emphasis on climatology and water resources. Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine named her “one of Minnesota’s 100 influential people who make things happen.” Her organic fruits have won 25 blue ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair.

History Study Group
2022-10-05 19:00 - 21:30 | via Zoom
We are finishing the book, Chapters 6-9, The Hidden History of Burma: Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century, by ThantMyint-U. Burma, a place greatly influenced by natural disaster, colonial rule, fast-rising inequality, disintegrating state institutions, social media, China next door, climate change, and so much more. Join us as we learn how the 55 million residents look towards the future. by reading and discussing .
If you have some interest, grab a copy and jump in, it is a relatively easy read. I guarantee it will be a one of a kind event as we learn အတူတကွ.

Philosophy Study Group
2022-10-12 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We will discuss a paper by Nancy Fraser, “Social Movements vs. Disciplinary Bureaucracies: The Discourses of Social Needs” (1987) Center for Humanistic Studies Occasional Papers, Number 8, 3-37. For a copy of the paper, click here.
Also, we are, actively looking for a good location to start in-person meetings again. If you know of a centrally located place that you think would work for us, contact me. But even when we find one, we plan on continuing Zoom meetings if there is enough interest.

While on the MISF website, feel free to join (if you’re not already a member of MISF), contribute, and/or volunteer. Just think of all the wonderful things you can do. Just think of all the wonderful things we can do together.

Minnesota and the Ultra-Resistance
2022-10-22 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Based on his 2018-2019 oral history project, “We Don’t Want You to Go Either,” Peter Simmons will talk about Minnesotans who, during 1967-1970, took part in raids on Selective Service offices (draft boards) in Minnesota and elsewhere, aiming to cripple the ability of the government to conscript young Americans into the military during the never declared Vietnam war.
Mr. Simmons was born in North Minneapolis in 1950 and has been a life-long Minneapolis resident. After involvement in the draft resistance and peace movements, he was convicted in 1970 of violating the Selective Service Act and spent twenty months in Federal Prison in Colorado. His ”We Won’t Go…” project was assisted and made possible by the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum.

History Study Group
2022-11-06 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We will be discussing Tycoon’s War: How Cornelius Vanderbilt Invaded a Country to Overthrow America’s Most Famous Military Adventurer​.
Of course you have heard about Cornelius Vanderbilt and his unbelievable wealth. However, there is a story about him you probably don’t know. Have you heard of William Walker or the fight over Nicaragua? Join us to understand the link between Vanderbilt, California gold, and Central American war!
For this session we are reading chapters 1-13, through page 171. FYI – We will encounter some filibusters, but rest assured they will not include phone book reading!

Philosophy Study Group
2022-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We will begin reading The Human Condition (1958) by Hannah Arendt. You can find a new paperback of this book for around $22 or an ebook for about $15. Since this is also one of Arendt’s more popular and influential books there should be some used copies around. For the 9th we will read through Parts I and II.
Hannah Arendt was a political philosopher who, in this book, attempted to take a very broad look at how life not only was lived, but more importantly, how it was thought of over the millennia. She has her own conclusions about how our Western society got to where it is today, politically and socially, and what this means for us, collectively and individually. One conclusion, however, is clear. If you want a full, satisfying, robust life, you need to attend the meetings of the MISF Philosophy Study Group.

The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota
2022-11-19 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
The Great Depression New Deal-era program, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), has been recognized as the largest conservation program in U.S. history. Its Minnesota story is a fascinating one, involving young men from the state and from nearby states, young Black Minnesota citizens, and enrolled men from Minnesota’s Indian Reservations.
Drawing on more than 100 Oral histories, combined with research at the Minnesota Historical Society and the National Archives, in this presentation, she will review the impact of the CCC on the people who were part of it, the work they did in Minnesota’s state and national forests, its state parks, and on soil conservation in various locations, and its ongoing impact on the state today.
She will illustrate the presentation with photographs, many taken by CCC enrollees themselves. Additional information about the history of the CCC in Minnesota may be found in her award-winning book, Hard Work and a Good Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota, available from the Minnesota Historical Society, bookstores in Minnesota, and through on-line sources.
Barb Sommer has over thirty-five years of experience as an oral historian. She has directed major oral community history projects and has taught oral history. She is the author and co-author of several key publications in the field and of the award-winning book Hard Work and a Good Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota (2008). She holds degrees from Carleton College and the University of Minnesota.

History Study Group
2022-12-07 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
While we read many fantastic books, this was the first time in months where everyone was really looking forward to the rest of the book! We have seen Cornelius Vanderbilt amass great wealth and then go on vacation only to find himself being ousted by those he trusted. Now he has vowed to ruin them (as it is much easier than winning through the courts).
William Walker failed at his first attempt to gain land in Mexico. However, his quest in Nicaragua was amazingly successful. He now is positioning himself to do even greater things (so he thinks).
Join us, it won’t be hard for you to catch us – we are finishing the book.
Who knew that the Nicaraguan civil canal, Vanderbilt, and Central American war would be one of those “must be real because otherwise it is unbelievable” stories!

Philosophy Study Group
2022-12-14 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
We will continue our discussion of The Human Condition by Hannah Arendt by reading Parts III and IV.
This is not a difficult book to read, but the arguments can be complex and even confusing. That, however, is no problem for us. We’re as complex and confused as any group out there. Come and help us unravel Arendt. And maybe even yourself.

Philosophy Study Group - Rescheduled!
2023-01-18 19:00 - 21:30 | via Zoom
We will finish up our discussion of Hannah Arendt’s The Human Condition, covering Parts V and VI, in which she discusses action and the modern age, drawing her final conclusions concerning where we are now and the human condition as she perceives it. Have you come to different conclusions or have another interpretation of the human condition? Let’s hear it. Godly perspectives are welcome, if a little suspect.

Systems Change Not Climate Change
2023-01-28 10:00 - 2023-02-28 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
We can’t grow our way out of the problems such as climate change. That means neither growth nor “degrowth”. Malcolm X has said that a chicken cannot produce a duck egg. It’s not in its system.
The problems lie within the bio/physical nature of the planet and the problems that have been precipitated by humans, particularly since the discovery and exploitation of fossil fuels which has also led to profligate use of planetary resources from minerals to biomass and water.
A large part of the problem is the tight coupling between solving the ecological problem and the drive to see the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a goal rather than a measure of “progress”.
MISF has explored this, in part, in a seminar on the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) presented by Ken Pentel. This presentation will review the GPI and introduce Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics through Kate’s Ted Talk. We will draw on Rutger Hoestra’s recent book, Replacing the GDP by 2030. And explore the ramifications and possible next steps to turn analysis into practice with an introduction to the DEAL network (Doughnut Economics Action Laboratory).
This presentation will introduce a SCNCC webinar series under the MISF’s Navigating Futures, starting in February where the materials will be expanded.

Tom Abeles is a former tenured professor of environmental sciences and international consultant in both policy and practice. He has developed and managed projects in Central America and East Africa in alternative crops and aquaculture and developed projects in renewable energy in the US.
Ken Pentel through his consulting organization has been working with government agencies and legislatures on measures to mitigate the problems of climate change using the Genuine Progress Indicator as a measure.

History Study Group
2023-02-01 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West, by Hampton Sides
We are finishing the book. So far we have met a wonderful assortment of characters. Navajo warrior Narbona, “The Army of the West,” Christopher “Kit” Carson, and a few others. Things are all lining up for the second half to be a great read!
We had a group member who wasn’t going to join us, but found the book to be quite manageable. So get reading, even if you start at the end, we will be waiting for you!

Philosophy Study Group
2023-02-08 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
For this meeting, rather than a book or other reading, we are going to assign a topic. The topic is Punishment. Both this meeting and our one in March will be in conjunction with the monthly general meeting of the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum on March 25 in which one of our members will present a program on restorative justice.
So for the 8th, you can chose whatever reading you wish on the topic to share with the rest of the group. Below are some suggested readings from our members.

From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
Legal Punishment
Retributive Justice
Skepticism About Moral Responsibility
From the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
Punishment
Moral Permissibility of Punishment
Some books and articles:
The Death of Punishment: Searching for Justice among the Worst of the Worst (Robert Blecker)
Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison (Michel Foucault)
Justice and Punishment (Immanuel Kant)
Utilitarianism (John Stuart Mill)
The history of punishment, which is a fascinating topic in itself, is not without relevance here. You may have to discipline yourself in order to get the job done.

"Traveling Without Aggravation" - How Victor H. Green Changed Travel for Black Americans: Green Book Locations in the Historic Rondo Community (1940 - 1956)
2023-02-25 10:00 - 11:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Traveling without aggravation, especially with our families and young folk was never easy for Black people during the Jim Crowe Era and before the signing of Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Negro Motorist Green Book (Green Book) by Victor H Green helped Black people find safe and welcoming tourist homes (boarding homes), restaurants, and other businesses that made leisure life a pleasurable life.
In fact, there were even locations in St. Paul, one such area in the early years was in the Historic Rondo Neighborhood/Community. In the the Green Book, there were nine listings. Find out why this book was so important. Imagine, traveling while Black to grandmother’s house in Mississippi, a Baptist convention in Tennessee, or to an NAACP meeting in Duluth, MN could be very dangerous! In this presentation, hear the stories of these Rondo owners and how their businesses named in the Green Book, served as safe havens for Black Travelers.
Nieeta Pressley is a Retired Executive of Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation (2020, ASANDC). Currently, the owner of New Life Possibilities, LLC Consulting – “Looking Beyond the Opportunities by Creating the Greatest POSSIBILITIES” and the coordinator for the Rondo Round Table, a collaboration of Rondo organizations spearheading the vision to preserve the legacy and the history of the community under the administration of ReConnect Rondo, which is leading a project to build a land bridge over I-94.
She serves as secretary on the Saint Paul Planning Commission. She is First Vice President for the NAACP Saint Paul Branch Roy Wilkins Memorial Branch 4052. Nieeta was the 2019 winner of the Twin Cities LISC and Metropolitan Community Consortium of Developers’ (MCCD) Community Development’s Hall of Fame. In 2019, Nieeta was honored for her work as an Influential St Paul Developer in Community Development by the Goldstein Museum of Design and University of Minnesota’s College of Design.
Most importantly, lead and raised funding to produce the first non-European Historic Cultural Context Study (1837 – 1975). She served as the lead coordinator and facilitated both the Cross-sector Advisory Team and the community process to develop that study which is award winning as The Saint Paul African American Historic Cultural Context Study.
She has three children, 19 Grandchildren and 12 Great-grandchildren.

History Study Group
2023-03-01 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
The Company: The Rise and Fall of the Hudson’s Bay Empire (Stephen R. Bown). We are taking a different route this next book – we are heading up to Canada! The story of the Hudson’s Bay Company, dramatic, adventurous and complex, is the story of modern Canada’s creation. (So says Stephen Bown’s website – so it must be true.). We are reading the first 8 chapters, through page 210.
This is the perfect time to join us. See you in March – eh?

Philosophy Study Group
2023-03-09 19:00 - 21:30 | via Zoom
We will read and discuss the Little Book of Restorative Justice (2015) by Howard Zehr. This is an inexpensive (less than $10), short book that we will cover in a single session. It is in conjunction with the following program on March 25, in which Jean Greenwood, one of our members, will give a presentation on restorative justice.
Attending our meeting on the 8th does not require you to come on the 25th. However, participating in this discussion should get you sufficiently excited about going. If not, it raises serious questions about your commitment to philosophy, to the MISF Philosophy Study Group, and to making the world a more just place. And if that doesn’t make you feel guilty enough, it might also hurt my feelings.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: Reweaving the Fabric of Community
2023-03-25 10:00 - 10:30 | Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Restorative justice is a grassroots movement, growing out of the 70s, that offers an alternative perspective on crime and how crime is addressed. Though its origin lies in the modern criminal justice system, the paradigm and processes of restorative justice have ancient underpinnings, as well as relevance in other contexts.
Restorative processes hold rich potential for restoring and healing individuals and communities, as well as helping to build healthy relationships, and fostering effective communication and conflict resolution. Restorative Justice brings us hope that harm can be repaired, that the fabric of community can be rewoven.
BIO: Jean Greenwood has been involved in restorative justice since 1991, as program director, mediator/facilitator, Yukon-trained circle keeper, researcher, writer, consultant and trainer, also serving as training coordinator for the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking at the U of M. She has been published in The Mediation Quarterly, The Handbook For Victim Offender Mediation (Jossey Bass), The Clergy Journal, U.S. Department of Justice monographs, and has served as adjunct faculty at the U of M, United Theological Seminary, Hamline Law School, Metro State. Jean is a conflict transformation consultant, mediator for the state in Special Education conflicts, facilitator of circle dialogue for the Science Museum’s Race exhibit, and a Presbyterian minister. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the U of M (BS, English Education) and from United Theological Seminary (M. Div.). Jean is an avid bicyclist and dancer, lover of nature and the arts.
