Creative Reflection on ACR Practice to Deepen Work
The ACR Family Section will gather for two fun days, following the ACR Annual Conference, in order to share thoughts, ideas and reflections about how to improve and grow the work and impact of section, and section members.
Among those presenting will be Michelle LeBaron, Kay Branis and Sue Bronson.
More information here.
Michelle LeBaron joined the University of British Columbia Law Faculty in 2003 as a full
professor and was Director of the UBC Program on Dispute Resolution from 2003-2012. From
1993-2003, she taught at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution and the Women’s
Studies program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Prior to moving to the US, she
directed the Multiculturalism and Dispute Resolution Project at the University of Victoria.
Professor LeBaron has lectured and consulted around the world on intercultural conflict
resolution, and has practised as a family law and commercial mediator. She was called to the Bar
of British Columbia in 1982 after articling at Campney and Murphy in Vancouver.
Professor LeBaron’s research focuses on how the arts can foster belonging and social cohesion
across cultural and worldview differences. Her current project investigates how dance,
movement and kinesthetic awareness can enhance practitioners’ and parties’ capacities to
transform conflict and is the subject of a forthcoming book. Professor LeBaron’s most recent
book is Conflict Across Cultures, with co-editor Venashri Pillay of ACCORD (South Africa) and
colleagues from three other world regions. She has also published on creativity, intuition,
spirituality and intercultural relations.
Kay Pranis teaches and writes about the dialog process known as ‘peacemaking circles.’ Kay learned
about peacemaking circles in her work in restorative justice in the mid-90s Her initial teachers in the
circle work were Barry Stuart, a judge in Yukon, Canada, and Mark Wedge and Harold Gatensby, First
Nations people of Yukon. Since that initial exposure to the use of peacemaking circles in the justice
system Kay has been involved in developing the use of peacemaking circles in schools, social services,
churches, families, museums, universities, municipal planning and workplaces.
Kay has authored or co-authored several books about circles: Peacemaking Circles – From Crime to
Community; The Little Book of Circle Processes – A New/Old Approach to Peacemaking; Doing
Democracy with Circles – Engaging Communities in Public Planning; Heart of Hope – A Guide for Using
Peacemaking Circles to Develop Emotional Literacy, Promote Healing & Build Healthy Relationships.
Kay works primarily as an independent trainer in the peacemaking circle process. She is also an adjunct
professor at Simon Fraser University, Eastern Mennonite University and Southwest Minnesota State
University.
Kay has a particular interest in the use of circles to support social justice efforts addressing racial,
economic, class and gender inequities. That interest includes the use of peacemaking circles to
understand and respond to historical harms to groups of people. The peacemaking circle process has
been a source of energy, inspiration and continuous learning for Kay for the past 15 years.