The Hundred Conversations Project

The Hundred Conversations Project

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.  Margaret Mead

I would like to invite you to be part of a conversation. In part, this will assist me in writing a chapter in a volume on Digital Education in Interpreter Education. However, this is not a research project.  Rather, it is an organizing project focused on creating positive change in our profession.  Similar to the work of the the blog, StreetLeverage, which fosters dialogue about how to positively change the profession of interpreting, this process is designed to further our field’s thinking about the ways that we can guide our future onto a more effective and productive course.

The questions in the conversation draw on the insights and experiences from efforts to create community and organizational change.  It was inspired by my experiences at Critical Link International 7 conference in Toronto in the summer of 2013.  In the face of the changes brought about by technology, a recurrent theme was that interpreters need to organize.

From my experience as someone involved in community change efforts, I feel like there is great benefit for our profession to look at our work in new ways through the eyes of organizers, using processes like a SWOT analysis to assist us in thinking about what assets & deficits we have and what areas may be most fruitful for our focus.  (SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats)

So, I invite you to take part in this conversation – and if you choose, to use the process to engage in conversation with others.

Here are the questions for consideration:

Internal to Our Field*

• When thinking about the direction of our profession of interpreting, what are our strengths that we we can build on moving forward?
• What are our weaknesses in our field that we need to attend to?

External to Our Field

• What are the opportunities that exist outside of the interpreting field which we can take advantage to move our profession forward?
• What threatens the integrity and success of our profession?

Expanding the Conversation

• Are there other questions you think should be asked?
• Who else do you think should be part of these conversations?

*Note: You can direct your response about our field as broadly or as narrowly as you like.  For instance, you may focus on a specific organization or institution.  Or you may look at interpreter education’s role in the broader field of interpreting.

The Process:

Using the online conferencing software “GoToMeeting,” we will have a one hour long conversation.  You need to commit to no more than that.  If we both wish to continue the conversation or schedule another time because we see the value in further dialogue, that can be done.  However, there is no need to commit to more than one hour.

Language for Dialogue:  If feasible, use the language that has the lesser power and status in a given setting.  For instance, in the U.S., English is the dominant language, so American Sign Language would be the language used if shared by both parties.  Or in Canada, English has a more dominant position than French, and so French would be used if possible.

With your permission, I will record our conversation so that I can refer back to it.  Additionally, depending on how this project goes, there might be parts (or all) of the conversation that seem like they would be beneficial to share more broadly – whether in an academic publication or an online format like a blog.  Before I use any of the recording, I will get your permission first and allow you an opportunity to review what will be used and approve it.  As an organizer with an eye on long-term change, the integrity of the relationship is of more significance to me than the short-term product.

The Outcome:

This project is not one that seeks a concrete and measurable objective.  Rather, it draws its inspiration from the book, The Hundredth Monkey by Ken Keyes, Jr.  which is based on the observation of a group of Japanese monkeys who learned to wash sweet potatoes before eating them.  Slowly, more and more monkeys on one specific island tried the new approach of washing the food before eating it.  When the number of monkeys engaging in this activity reached a critical mass, termed the hundredth monkey phenomenon, all of the monkeys on the island starting doing it.  But not only that, all of the others of the same species on different islands began washing the potatoes as well, even though there was no observation of contact between the groups.

Ken Keyes, Jr., in his book, tried to foster this type of collective consciousness to avoid nuclear war.  In this project, I am trying to contribute to fostering a collective consciousness that will help the interpreting field navigate the challenges we will continue to experience in the digital age.

How it will work, or indeed, if it will work, is unclear to me.  But based on my experience of other efforts for change, I feel like it is worth the attempt.  Are you interested in joining me?