The ancient traditional systems in Nigeria hinged upon the disparate ethnic classes. Nigeria has over 240 ethnic groups. The Yoruba ethnos had a hierarchical system, and the King, titled the Oba, was not the final decision maker. He had a chief cabinet, like the present ministerial practice in Nigeria, that helped him make crucial decisions. The Ogboni cult also had the premier role of intermediating between the King and his subjects.

The Ibo culture had an egalitarian system of governance. Their King, called the Eze, was a nominal/ceremonial head. There was a high reverence for the age-class hierarchy, which made the elders the decision-makers. The marital system in Iboland is also quite distinct. The man, who is the ultimate head, marries the wife only after paying the bride price and marriage ceremony items as requested by his in-laws. After this, he has an obligation to train all younger male siblings of the bride, mainly by funding them in a vocational trade or apprenticeship.

In the Hausa cultural group, the Emir (King) is an absolute monarch. The land is reigned according to his whims and caprices, and there are no checks and balances like the body of Chiefs in Yoruba culture regulates the King. He, the Emir, is the demigod in his culture, and like other Nigerian cultures that operate a patriarchal system, the Hausas are not exempt. During marriage ceremonies, the groom demonstrates his love for his bride-to-be by receiving lashes of horsewhip until he can no longer endure the pain. After the marriage ceremony, the wife’s family provides all appliances, furniture, and other miscellaneous items found in every nook and cranny of the newlyweds’ home.

These diverse cultural systems were also key factors that contributed to the nation’s colonization process. The autocracy of the Emir of the Hausa land to independently make and enforce decisions allowed the colonial masters to penetrate the native lands without arduousness. This is directly relevant to the success of indirect rule in Northern Nigeria before other parts.

In this modern day, most of these practices are not mainstream due to civilization and migration to cities in search of greener pastures; however, these traditional systems were building blocks, and some idiosyncrasies are still identifiable in specific cultural groups.

Allen, Morgan.    Morgan Allen: Human Rights Project: Over policing and Gangs

Problem: Over policing of gangs has created a racist perception about Black Americans that have developed a mass discrimination in Black neighborhoods. The mass discrimination has produced a genocide of gang members, and neighborhood residents. The research views how to reduce gang violence but rarely addresses eliminating over policing, or reforming community relationships.

Hardcore Gang Investigations Unit, a prosecutorial gang suppression program, was created by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in 1979 and is still operating today. It targets habitual gang offenders countywide and prosecutes them either in juvenile or criminal courts. The over policing experienced with the gang unit produces harassment, hatred, and homicide throughout Los Angeles neighborhoods. The gang unit violates the human rights of gang members, who are residents, and equally affects neighborhood residents. The residents are often black youth who live in the neighborhood. They are always perceived as dangerous, as the gang unit patrols the neighborhood. It is unfair and violates the human dignity of residents dwelling daily in the neighborhood.

Vulnerable Groups: Race

Violation: All human beings belong to a single species and are descended from a common

stock. They are born equal in dignity and rights, and all form an integral part of humanity (United Nations, 1978, Article 1, para. 1).

Interview Questions

The questions are based on a positive youth development theory. The intention is to reveal the actual reality of residents in the neighborhood who have experiences with the Los Angeles gang-unit. The experiences can reveal intense harassment. By revealing true reality and experiences we intend to prove that over-policing is unjustified, violates UDHR articles of human rights and should be eliminated immediately. America has not signed the UDHR, but they do recognize the principles and articles. The questions were constructed using Bensons 40 developmental assets. The developmental assets framework is derived from an ecological perspective with a focus on the alignment between individual needs and external requirements, opportunities and supports for youth to achieve adequate development and effective functioning. Individual strengths and environmental resources were defined by Benson as “developmental assets.”

Aryal, S. and Roberts, A. M.    Supriya Aryal and Dr. Anne M. Roberts

Novel Engineering: A Life-Changing Experience

Two years ago, I was introduced to the concept of Novel Engineering—a combination of literature and science for the children to think, create, collaborate, and build something on their own. As I delved deeper into this concept, I couldn't help but draw parallels between my childhood yearnings for hands-on learning and the boundless potential of these students. That’s when I knew that I wanted to mentor young minds so that they realize their potential and unleash their creativity.

Being an international student, I didn’t have any American high school/middle school experience. I and a few of my friends decided to conduct sessions of Novel Engineering in the Springfield community, not knowing what to anticipate. We mentored over 30 students in using engineering skills to design a tool that would hypothetically solve a problem. We showed them a video of a short story where students had to identify a problem, brainstorm a solution, and create a project by using objects provided like paper, straws, cups, etc. I could sense the excitement and curiosity around me. I saw that the children were fully engrossed in understanding the problem, discussing it with team members, and solving the problem. As we kept moving forward, I felt that the kids wanted to be more creative with what they were doing, and they kept the emphasis on simplifying their work. I could see that there were a lot of questions among them, yet not a single one of them asked us a solution.

Barrera, Eduardo

Who Speaks for the Fire? The Numinous Storyteller in the Huichol Chant of the Dead
Eduardo Barrera, Independent Researcher

Analysis of the Corrida del Alma (Chant of the Dead) among the Huicholes of Tuapurie. The particular chant was that of Tacho and was performed by Mara'akame Lionisio. An all night chant where the Mara'akame is chanting repeating what Tatewarí (Grandfather Fire) is saying while the tribal civil authorities are present in the case Tacho's fall from a cliff to see if it was a murder. The Mara'akame repeated everything the fire Whatever the Mara'akame repeats in that chant (with the chorus of two segundeadores flanking him) is regarded as the binding truth about that case. The limitations of Western theories of the Narrator from Bakhtin (heteroglossia and polyphony) to Genette's typology of narrators (homodiegetic, heterodiegetic and autodiegetic) are exposed when it comes to numinous storytelling in indigenous ceremonies.

Baruwal & Roberts, Fisk U. Anmol Baruwal and Dr. Anne M. Roberts.   STEAM Education
            My journey as a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) educator and mentor has been a passionate exploration of the world of learning and innovation. From my early days of curiosity-driven tinkering and dismantling old devices to working on educational projects at institutions like Karkhana and Tufts University, my mission has been to make STEAM subjects accessible, engaging, and relatable.

During my time at Karkhana, a company specializing in Project-Based Learning (PBL) and school partnerships, I served as a STEAM class instructor and Content Designer. One of the most impactful activities I developed for a class was known as "Pahadi Gadi" or the Hill Car project. As I entered the classroom carrying my backpack filled with learning kits and materials, the once noisy room fell into silence.

            I wrote the project name on the white board. The class was divided into 5 teams with 5 students in each team. The challenge I set for them for the project was to build a car that they think would be appropriate for Nepalese terrain with some recycled bottle caps, straws, and craft supplies. All of them started working on their projects by sketching their ideas and brainstorming within their team. I could see them failing and trying again and again but with more passion and enthusiasm to succeed in every iteration. One of the students came up with a model which had a place for keeping farm animals and tires which had enough traction to drive through the rugged gravel roads. It was curiosity about learning that drove them to create these prototypes. With this discovery, I understood the ability to make a difference through education.

            Through hands-on experiences, creative storytelling, and interdisciplinary approaches, I have strived to empower students to embrace STEAM subjects and develop critical problem-solving skills. Whether it's building smart motors, creating learning kits, or organizing workshops that bridge the gap between education and innovation, my journey has been guided by a commitment to inspiring the next generation of thinkers and creators. I feel proud that I’ve contributed a little to making learning hands-on and fun for more than 500 students so far. As I continue on this path of education and mentorship, I look forward to forging new connections, sharing knowledge, and making a positive impact on students and communities around the world.

Besson: Dominique Besson and Aysylu Valitova.  valitovalille@gmail.com

Storytelling and reflexivity in Communicational Dynamics and relational Disjunctions (applied to conflict analysis)

Interpersonal relations at work are marked by, on the one hand, the internalization of the external, which we analyze using the concepts of habitus (Bourdieu, Lahire), and one the other hand (but intricated) the externalization of the internal, which we analyze using the relational systemic analysis of communication (Watzlawick). Individuals discover and construct (in the same movement) who they are within this dialectic of interpersonal relationships. The personal identity thus constructed is necessarily reflexive, which begs the question: is this reflexivity storytelling in Boje's sense? If so, is it more of an ante-narrative, a dialectic (which one?) or a/several dialogism(s), and which one(s)? Simply polyphonic, or rather stylistic, or chronotopic or, finally, fundamentally architectonic? Interpersonal and Socratic reflexivity seem to reside in the latter.

Blanc, Antoine.  Antoine Blanc  antoine.blanc@univ-lille.fr

The birth, death and rebirth of an industry scapegoat: stories of pirates in the media

The term scapegoat refers to an individual or a group that bears the collective blame of a larger society for a problem or a crisis. The aim of this article is to examine the underexplored phenomenon of stories that fuel the scapegoating cycles, tracing the emergence and re-emergence of scapegoats in an industry over a long period. By doing so, we seek to understand the narrative dynamics of blame attribution in an industry, across different crises. To address this mechanism, we adopt the same approach as Roulet and Pichler (2020), based on the premise that scapegoating, as a social construction, is inherently linked to discourses and stories.

We focus on the mass media, which plays a significant role in shaping discourses during crises (Budd et al., 2019; Patriotta, Gond, & Schultz, 2011; Prasad, Prasad, & Baker, 2016) and reflects the changes in actors' positions (Hartz & Steger, 2010), as well as telling stories about key actors. This paper is a historical investigation of the cycles of scapegoating in the field of cultural industries, framed by the institution of intellectual property rights. Since the 70s, recording devices, such as tapes or videotapes and then computers, have been periodically blamed for causing the decline in the sales of movies, software, videogames, and music. The fact that pirates in creative industries were repeatedly vilified in the press illustrates a scapegoating mechanism, in which one group - pirates - is made responsible for most of the problems in an entire industry.    

            The scapegoating of pirates has varied in form and intensity, crisis after crisis, and has been accompanied by an escalation of responses from incumbent actors in creative industries. In addition, pirates constitute a fascinating case of analysis, as they embody a multifaceted category of actors: they are simultaneously hackers, avid consumers, champions of freedom, and terrorists, which engenders a mixed moral evaluation. Therefore, the scapegoating mechanism that we observe in this case emerges as a multidimensional blaming reaction. To examine the cycles of scapegoating, we cover a span of almost 50 years in France, Our focus is on the mass media that portray, narrate, commend, or condemn pirates in cultural industries.

Our 13th year of quantum storytelling conference has taught me that there are multiple answers to the question in this title. And these answers are dialogic with one another. Indeed, there is a together-telling that we can uncover. I keep writing about quantum storytelling (2011, 2012, 2014a, 2014b, 2015, 2018a, 2018b; Henderson & Boje, 2014; Henderson & Boje, 2015). I do it dialogically in relation of my ideas in relation to someone else’s discourse on quantum theory. It is what Mikhail Bakhtin (1984) calls double-directed discourses (p. 136). The result of my own quantum storytelling is to be dialogic across six discourse centers (listed below).

1. Consider that some of us are Baradians (following Karen Barad’s lead). She privileges Neils Bohr answer to what is quantum (discourse). The storytelling is one of intra-activity of materialities with discourse in spacetimemattering, posthumanist performativity.

2. A counter-answer is Barad as read by S. Saloj Žižek in his book about Hegel (Less Than Nothing). Zizek wants Karen Barad to make quantum storytelling more dialectic between the intra and the active. For her part Bard is critical of Heisenberg, rejecting his answer to what is quantum mechanics. Žižek challenges Barad to include more spiritualized approach to quantum storytelling.

3. Albert Einstein (1951) did not accept quantum mechanics as a completed theory. He believed that a more basic theory, one that could completely describe how each individual atom behaved, might yet be found.

4. David Bohm’s answer (Bohm & Fowler, 1978) is that quantum physics is split into two versions of reality, the cartesian substance and the mental, which interact. He developed a theory if explicate and implicate order.

5. Fred Wolf (1992, 1996) is willing to unite quantum mechanics with more spiritual understanding.

6. Among many other answers, a more fictionalized ‘quantum storytelling’ that refers to incorporates quantum physics as a force of narrative, stories, science fiction (novels, films), etc. This quantum storytelling plays a motive role, for example, in IBM quantum Challenge 2020 to save a character, Dr. Ryoko, fromt eh quantum realm, and IBM Quantum Challenge 2022 extends that narrative by having participants act as starship captains to save their crews (Sandhir, 2023).

Boje, David Michael. Dostoevsky, Polyphony, & Dialogic Narration between the CIW and Nelson Peltz 

My thesis is that capitalism is polyphonic. I study capitalism discourse of the ‘Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ (CIW’s), its dialogic relationships with Wendy’s, Trian hedge fund, Kroger’s, and Publix are each suspended in polyphony’s unfinalizability, yet unable to reach a Fair Food Program agreement.  I assert this is because each of CIW’s discursive opponents has their own autonomous consciousness, their own truth-consciousness of capitalism that is hostile to CIW’s final goal of merging into a Fair Food Program. We will focus on Wendy’s, how CIW initiates protest events to persuade Wendy’s and its major shareholder, a self-proclaimed hero of capitalism, Nelson Peltz. Peltz is CEO of the Trian hedge fund, and with his partners, control the board of directors of Wendy’s. Can Peltz/Trian/Wendy’s become conscious of the farmworker’s world of modern-day slavery, and the successes of CIW, see the light, and join the Fair Food Program.   I will explore how Peltz is a kind of ‘Underground Man’ (Dostoevsky) whose every speech act reveals something about his own self-consciousness. Who is this Underground Man? Answer: Nelson Peltz, a self-declared and widely acknowledged hero of capitalism, a billionaire, an activist investor/corporate raider, an aggressor in proxy fights with major corporations, and someone whose career pointing out the ways a target company such as Wendy’s or Disney has been mismanaged and can be set straight.  Here we turn to Bakhtin’s method for analyzing the dialogic narration of hero’s own speech acts. There is an internal dialogue to analyze that is a war of internal voices. Indeed, many observers describe another externalized ‘war of wills’, such as between Disney and Peltz, and CIW and Peltz. It is not the only war of wills CIW faces, for over a decade Kroger’s and Publix food chains refuse to meet with CIW or to say anything at all about it. 

            My thesis is we need to re-think capitalism as Dostoevsky’s polyphonic. If we ask, ‘what is capitalism?’ we get a different answer from each economic actor and their ideological preference. Indeed, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and its nemesis, billionaire and controlling board member of Wendy’s, have very different capitalism ideologies. CIW is described as a reform of ‘supply chain capitalism’ by opposing modern-day slavery of agricultural workers by inviting food companies to join its Fair Food Program (FFP) and its worker-driven social responsibility initiatives.

[1] I acknowledge the wonderful feedback and discussion in The Enthinkment Circle (https://enthinkment.com) of several earlier versions of this manuscript.

Bonifer, Mike #17

ABSTRACT 13th Annual Quantum Storytelling Conference

Fisk University, Nashville, TN, December 13-17, 2023 Theme: Organizing with Together-Telling

RE-IMAGINING DINOSAURS: QUANTUM STORYTELLING FOR AN ENTERTAINMENT PROJECT DEVELOPED WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Presented by Mike Bonifer, Gamechangers LLC; mikebonifer@gmail.com

Cryptosaurs is a multi-modal entertainment story currently being developed by a team of producers, artists and technologists with deep expertise in visual effects, storytelling, geophysics and emerging artificial intelligence platforms such as Midjourney and ChatGPT. The story is set 75 years in the future, when the Earth is threatened by autonomous cyborgs and a young autistic woman re-imagines dinosaurs in an effort to save humans from extinction.

This presentation will focus on the application and relevance of quantum storytelling to the project. Elements of the presentation will include: the non-linear development of Cryptosaurs, during which events outside our control, such as the collapse of the NFT markets, the rapid evolution of AI platforms and the Writers and Actors strikes, called for us to improvise and adapt; the spiral [i.e. updraft/ downdraft] antenarrative aspects of AI, which is perceived equally as a curse and a blessing by artists and others; the rhizome [i.e. assemblage] antenarrative aspects of the project, which have seen us develop multiple production ‘vectors’ simultaneously; and visual elements, including concept art, character animation tests, and scenes created using Unreal Engine, a game development platform.

In addition to Dr. David Boje’s foundational work with quantum storytelling, particularly antenarratives, the academic and theoretical underpinnings of the presentation will include: Dr. Grace Ann Rosile’s research on ensemble storytelling; Dr. Pamela Buckle’s research on Jungian archetypes in organizational development; works by Drs. Karen Barad and Donna Harraway on post-humanist theory; Dr. Jillian Saylors’ work with autism entrepreneurship; Dr. Jeff Roberts’ work with renewable energy; and Mike Bonifer’s work based with game/story relationships.

Butler, D.    Debra M. Butler, PhD U. of Massachusetts-Boston School for the Environment

ABSTRACT: Why Transdisciplinary Research is like making Gumbo

The rituals of honoring the earth, planting, growing, harvesting, and preparing food are the privileged work of Indigenous women in the Americas, whether they be original peoples of this place or those of the diasporas who have seeded the fertile lands of the Gulf.

In this paper, I seek to convey my experiences growing up saturated in the legacies of these women. My reflections, stories, and methodologies interrogate their intergenerational relationships of place, community, and care, and explore how such relationships formed and informed their “daughters.”

I acknowledge that rituals of kinship exceed biological relations, that daughters, “aunties,” and grandmothers transmute knowledge through ritual and praxis. I especially honor all my grandmothers, in whom I have always known, wisdom resides.

Trans-disciplinary research is an agile way of parsing the ways women of color have shaped and been shaped by the U.S. Gulf Coast. Located at the intersections of gender, colonialism, slavery, water, and wind, coastal women have created, maintained, and transmitted knowledge through rituals, ceremonies, and the praxis of food. Their relationships with living beings and vibrant matter have nurtured and grown community— community derived from centuries of birth, adaptation, death and rebirth, and of matter captured and “recycled” by the nature of the universe.     This paper explores intersecting pathways that integrate women’s stories across time and space through the metaphor of making gumbo, a food that reflects the heart and soul of the Gulf, its resistance, resilience, adaptation, and survivance.

 Debra M. Butler, PhD; PO Box 1463; Northampton, MA 01060; 251-680-7190

Cahill, Declan  Conversational Storytelling: Analyzing a Transcript; Declan Cahill, Trinity College Dublin.

A long time ago for my PhD, I decided I would collect data from an Irish Catholic Religious Order where I had good access. I had strong view at the time about the way they managed and a strong desire to try influence it, but I knew they would not agree to any approach that required an intervention. Shifting my focus to Storytelling allowed me to engage with them about how they understand their role, rather than me being prescriptive about what they should be doing. I am now trying to understand their lived experiences.

How can I understand what and why they are doing it?

I have been listening to my ‘chats’ with the priests, where the brief I gave them was loose but with an overarching imaginary line that allowed them to tell stories about their life in the Order, without the pressure or fear of having to justify to me or themselves what drove them to the decision to live this religious life, their ‘Calling’. Many skirted this imaginary line as they stepped me through or should I say jumped back and forward through their life where the unasked question of ‘was it the right decision’ was sometimes in the air.

As I transcribed the interviews, I recorded my reflections on each of them and I identified themes that were emerging across the interviews.  I am now preparing for a more structured thematic analysis, where I will use NVivo to assist me in analysing my transcripts.

In my session, I will share with you in confidence and not for use in any way, an excerpt from one conversation. We were chatting (myself and an older priest) about why some of the other Orders are getting new recruits (in Ireland and England) considering the current climate here in Ireland. Ireland like the US has seen multiple clerical sex abuse cases in the last 25 years; while the number of young people choosing religious life has declined dramatically, some Orders have actually seen a surge in vocations. It would appear that enclosed Orders, not dealing with the public day to day, are more likely to attract recruits than the more public facing Orders.  See my comments at the end. 894 is the priest. Apologies it is very disjointed but a conversation between people that know each other a long time.

I would welcome your thoughts on the benefits and drawbacks of being either theory or data led in analysis.

Cajete, Greg, and Foreman, Henry    Transformative Indigenous Entrepreneurship

  gcajete@unm.edu and  henry@nmccap.org

New Mexico Community Capital proposes to assess how blockchain and Web3 technologies,

including Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs),

can be used by Indigenous communities to establish and assert sovereignty over communally

shared assets and data by using technology and cryptography, rather than only legal

assurances.

This project will also investigate the extractive tendencies of data technology, with the intention

of applying aspects of cryptographic techniques that may help counter this historical abuse of

power.

We intend to create a set of open source software tools using development methodologies

informed by Indigenous core values, such as collaboration and relationships, reciprocity, shared

ownership, and non-financial forms of exchange. We will initially do this with a precise audience:

Indigenous farmers and craft-goods entrepreneurs, two communities that we already work with

on a daily basis.

Calliou, Brian, #13 Indigenous Lawyers in Canada

Brian Calliou (PhD-ABD), Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta Canada

Indigenous Lawyers Organizing to Voice Indigenous Interests to the Canadian Legal System

Once European settlers asserted sovereignty over North America, Indigenous peoples were soon without a voice in the political and legal institutions in the new settler colonial states. Thus, Indigenous peoples were essentially silenced – their interests and perspectives were dismissed as unimportant to the new nation-building effort. In Canadian legal history several early legal decisions were made regarding Indigenous rights and title that had no Indigenous representatives present and no consultation with Indigenous persons for their views on the matters. The development of this legal thought and discourse on Indigenous rights created barriers to Indigenous voices being heard in the courts.

Canada’s legal profession historically excluded Indigenous persons and other persons of colour, along with women, from entering the legal profession. Indigenous lawyers established their own specialized Bar Association for “recognizing and respecting the spiritual basis of Indigenous laws, customs and traditions” and “promoting the advancement of legal and social justice for the Indigenous peoples in Canada.” 

            This involved story-telling Indigenous worldview, history, connection to traditional tribal lands, and aspirations for self-determination. Today we see the results of those stories with constitutionally entrenched Aboriginal and treaty rights, United Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, judicial recognition of Indigenous title to land, the revitalization of Indigenous legal orders, which are also becoming recognized by the state and the courts.

Carter, Schuyler S., MURP  Who’s Your Fanny?: A Socio-Autoethno-Onomastic Diasporic Placemaking Prosopography of The Millennial Archivist and Fisk University

This case study explores the autoethnographic account of fourth generation Thomas descendant Schuyler S. Carter, MURP, founder and director of The Millennial Archivist Experience Project (The MAE. project). The MAE. project, established in 2018, is a digital humanities initiative devoted to locating, documenting, sharing and preserving global Black influence by analyzing diasporic movements and leveraging the multi-disciplinary topophilia-centered lens, perspective and methods of the author.

Additionally, Professor Carter serves within Fisk University’s Franklin Library Special Collections and Archives. Given the blatant miseducation of diasporic narratives, it is imperative to support and uplift the grassroots archival repositories that depict the service, achievements and commemoration of Black space, life and legacy within the Diverse Diasporic Experience (DDE) as these narratives are being barred from our traditional academic and curative spaces. By locating these repositories comprehensive restorative grassroots preservation (CRGP) is practiced and thus the many disciplines, industries and geographies that have benefited from the Black minds, bodies, spirits, and dollars, in their respective areas, commemorate and honor the impact and influence of their diasporic communities’ societal, industrial and economic contributions.

Keywords: Diaspora, Urban Planning, Economics, Genealogy, Onomastics, Prosopography

Courtois, Charlotte.    Music to share intangible heritage

 Storytelling as a natural tool for conveying an NGO’s values

Konstelacio is a French NGO, accredited by the UNESCO, which promotes intercultural dialogue among children and teenagers around the world with a double goal: developing their curiosity about other cultures and allowing them to discover, value, and share their own cultural heritages. Naturally and almost unconsciously, storytelling has always been at the heart of our educational workshops.

Several questions arise. The first is how storytelling is traditionally used in society, from African griots to M_āo_r_i_ _p_ūr_āk_a_u_ _but also in theater, religion or fairy tales. Then comes the question of whether this tool could be effective. And finally, whether it works in practice through Konstelacio’s practical experience.

I therefore propose to explore these questions from a general perspective and then apply them to the previously presented project, poetically titled "Lyra" as a subtle reference to the Lyre constellation.

We will have a special interest in the impact of storytelling in the children Konstelacio has met in three different countries, keeping a close eye on practical elements such as the language used and translations when needed and their impact on the public, the use of gestures and emphasis of the oral tale and the level of the language used depending on the age of the children.

---

Charlotte Courtois is the founder and director of French NGO Konstelacio. With a background in international business as well as research in sociology and anthropology, she has a 12-year experience in leading international projects on intangible cultural heritage (14 countries, 5000+ children) using storytelling as a key tool to educate to peace and share values such as respect, tolerance, and curiosity.

Egebjerg-Rantdazu, Ditte Marie & Peter

Leading by Heart – co-creating social change through storytelling

Your heart has to be ready to handle the weight of your calling (bell hooks)[1]

Pivotal life events have led us, a married couple in our fifties, to this moment of together-telling. Events that have opened our hearts in ways that have made it impossible for us to keep ignoring an inner calling to wholeheartedly contribute to creating change in this world.

We are both currently participating in the True Storytelling Certification program in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the program we have become aware of the principles of True Storytelling, which have had a profound effect on both of us. The principles have not only opened up channels to our inner lives, but have instilled in us the courage to realize a path forward for a more holistic life together. While our individual stories are a platform from which we complement each other, our “common why” has become clear as we have progressed through the program. We have found the courage to make a bet on the future - together. For these reasons, it seems natural that, the structure of this paper will follow the first three principles of True Storytelling: Principle 1 – We will be true and present our authentic selves to the world; Principle 2 – We will make spaces respecting the stories already there; Principle 3 – We will create stories with a clear plot creating direction.

We both teach American undergraduate students at DIS, Study Abroad in Scandinavia. Ditte Marie teaches classes in Postcolonial Europe – Narratives, Nationalism and Race, as well as in Social Change and Active Citizenship. Peter teaches a course in Creative Industries. We are currently co-creating a new cross-disciplinary course entitled: Leading by Heart – co-creating social change through storytelling.

At the Quantum Storytelling Conference 2023, we will start by presenting our individual stories. These will lead to our common “why”, which will be motivated by our own stories as well as the external voices that have fueled our desire to engage in transformative storytelling. Ultimately, we will present our future direction.

We look forward to engaging in conversations and together-telling with all participants. With their valuable input, we want to ideate about how to co-create new listening and storytelling-spaces. We seek to find ways in which heart based and emergent leadership from young people can be instrumental in creating transformational social change.

Garrett, Julian     MdDonald’s or McVillain’s? Masochist Managers

“Bahhh-da-bop-bop-bahh… I hate this shit”

I think I've had probably the worst job experience in the world I was about 18 years old a high school senior and I was ready to take on the world. I should have realized that the next six months would have been the longest time in my life.

Now there were two major distinctions between working at McDonald's like a regular employee and huddling in fear for your life because you're being hunted by a creature with dreadlocks, four fangs, two eyes, the ability to turn invisible and it carries around a thermal scope. The managers on staff for the morning crew always followed the book. They were the sweethearts, the ever so cherished ever so loved managers who made working enjoyable. At 6:00 the night crew would arise from their graves to come terrorize their place of employment. You could feel the greed, chaos, and disloyalty as if a horde of orcs and goblins had stumbled upon a small fishing village. To make matters worse the oldest person on the night crew was no greater than 22, they just received the ability to drink and they were running a store.

The largest detriment to the safety of the employees was that she (Sam) had the most influence inside McDonald's. Sam tended to report people to the GM to get them suspended and/or terminated. For instance, in one case, an employee decided to stand up to Sam and tell her that she no longer wanted to do random tasks that were bestowed upon her. By random tasks I mean things such as cleaning the toilet, taking out the trash, driving your car to Sam's house to feed her pets, driving to restaurants to pick up food for Sam and her Leech, and or taking Sam somewhere while she was on the clock so she can get her nails done and then come back. These are all pretty reasonable things to not want to do however if someone were to tell Sam that they would no longer participate in certain shenanigans they would notice a drastic decrease in hours provided.

I think the company is responsible for creating these creatures since this occurs at other locations as well. I hope that this paper is used to aid in bringing awareness to the types of monsters that these institutions perpetuate.

Gilliard, Saundra

The Way We Tell It: Preserving Self, Culture and Consciences through Narrative Strategy

Saundra Gilliard (saundra@femininelyfree.com)

Femininely Free!, LLC, 2332 Bryn Mawr Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131 USA

ABSTRACT

Historically, the individual and collective stories of Black women have been omitted from the dominant social narratives that shape our thoughts, values and behaviors. Absence of a social platform to share and tell the stories of their complex lived experiences, Black women have learned to construct and maintain a narrative identity, and prescribe social behaviors, separate and distinct from the prevailing socio-dominant stories told about them. Countering the prevailing stories perpetuated from a sexist and racist lens, Black women have had to battle the myth of the strong Black woman as well as redefine what it means to be Black and female. Their act of redemption, the ability to overcome adversity, is a common topic of narrative psychology study. Acknowledging the presence and purpose for the omission of Black women from the social narrative construct, provides a critical framework for us to assess Black women’s ability to reframe the socio-dominant narratives and myths they have been socialized to live by. This talk will explore how the systemic suppression of Black women’s ability to share and tell their own stories act as a barrier to cooperative and collective social transformation. Our discussion will highlight the challenges that social organizations face when trying to integrate the power of story for community building, personal growth, transforming cultures, and societal change.

Haley, Usha  “Storytelling Impact: an Academic Foot Soldier’s Perspective”

Hamby, Holly    The Work of Mourning: The Function of the Meta-Elegy

Dr. Holly Hamby, Associate Professor of English, Fisk University

The elegy form, broadly including all subgenres of memorial text, has never been limited to just the classical epic poem—rather, elegy functions to record personal and collective narratives of grief, longing, expectation, and irresolution. The grief prompting an elegiac response is not constrained to death in the strictest sense, as mortality is just one stop on a falsely linear timeline, especially as expressed in the narrative space, which always exists contemporaneously. The elegy is a narrative which considers all sub-narratives that inform it, and pursues memory building, including those memories left unspoken.

As argued by Adele Bardazzi, two central aspects of contemporary understanding of the elegy form underpin any postmodern (or post-postmodern) analysis. First, that the elegy is no longer held to previous formal constraints, moving easily between poetics to prose discourse; secondly, that no elegy is limited to traditional temporalities (2023). In this paper, I extend these aspects to include all spoken and unspoken elements of elegiac narratives, arguing that grief and its products are by their nature metatextual, creating a metaelegy.

The processing of grief is not a linear progression or a ladder to be climbed. Our relationship to the elegy is always in a spiral, just like grief is recursive; we can never approach our subject the same way again as we go on living and changing, and the object of our elegy does not. Does the genre-assumed structure of elegies and eulogies force people to categorize and order their grief? Or does the form itself, by asking the writer to organize their mourning, help their grieving process? Does every elegy result in the implicit laudatory, even those that “break” the genre expectations of explicit praise? Non-linear grieving means quantum constructions of the grieving process, and, in turn, quantum meaning making of the products and by-products of grief.

Herder, Rick  Emeritx Professor of Communication Studies, Southwest Minnesota State University

Ensemble Storytelling as Prefigurative Reform: The Coalition of Immokalee Workers and

the Campaign for Worker Driven Reforms of Supply Chain Labor Standards

Founded in the 1990s in Southwest Florida, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a farmworkers cooperative that has gained worldwide attention for their antislavery campaigns, their campaigns targeting multinational corporations, and their Fair Food Program (FFP) which has been credited with eradicating labor exploitation in the tomato fields of Southwest Florida. More recently, their worker driven social responsibility (WSR) initiative is being replicated in several parts of the United States, as well as in Chile, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the UK. In this paper I argue the ensemble storytelling practices of the CIW count as an example of prefigurative reform. That is, across their history the CIW have strived to embody and enact the sorts of reforms they have proposed. I look to David Boje’s antenarrative theory and Grace Ann Rosile’s work on ensemble storytelling to demonstrate how the collective, indigenous values the CIW have modeled from their founding, have shaped their storytelling practices, enabling them to form alliances with MNCs and generate momentum for time-tested, large scale reforms for eradicating exploitive labor practices in global supply chains.

Jiménez-Calderón^, C.E., & Petronila Liliana Mairena-Fox  César Vallejo University, Peru

Business Admin. School, César Eduardo Jiménez-Calderón¹ and Petronila Liliana Mairena-Fox²

cjimenezc@ucv.edu.pe; pmairena@ucv.edu.pe

Title: Building Up a Social Entrepreneurship Cluster Based on Academic Storytelling in Research

Aim: Storytelling can be used as a mind tool to share common points of view and comprehension among interested parties. If social entrepreneurs’ partners, such as stakeholders, university members, suppliers, and customers, share their own stories with business administration professionals, interested parties aim to put into their own practice new strategies of steering change in a business management system.

Method: Social entrepreneurs´ stakeholders discussed their own stories on business care and the way to support them adequately. The emerging gap between business care practitioners and researchers could be evident to better support social entrepreneurs´ interested parties in storytelling. Academic clusters must adapt an in-person storytelling workshop for social entrepreneurs´ leaders within an entrepreneurial program setting.

Result: The result is a 4-week in-person or online program for driving change in the business management system. The in-person or online program workshop is supported by story coaches, i.e., program alumni or trained staff. There is a structure for story setting that includes impacts and delivery of business care and research in each scenario. The transformational program must have a positive effect for many entrepreneurs after having finished it.

Conclusion: Social entrepreneurs´ interested parties who share their storytelling might be excellent mediators and inspire changes for business management systems and research.

Keywords

Storytelling in research, social entrepreneurship, cluster, business management system

¹ Assistant Professor, César Vallejo University, Peru. Scopus ID: 57967701600; orcid.org/0000-0001-7894-7526

² Auxiliar Professor, César Vallejo University, Peru. Scopus ID: 58028616100; orcid.org/ 0000-0001-9402-5601

Jorgensen, Kenneth Molbjerg  #10  Terrestrial Ethics

FOUNDATIONS OF A TERRESTRIAL ETHICS—A GAIAN MAP OF REORIENTATION

Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen

Malmö University

Abstract

Katr, S.   Sameh Katr Åbo Akademi University, Finland

 THE STORY OF OUR FRIENDSHIP:

STUDYING FRIENDSHIP PRACTICES AND EMBODIED INTERACTIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS

Friendship is a type of relation that we voluntarily signup for, not out of obligation nor job descriptions, but probably due to our basic needs of societies (Kant, 1797/1996), and belonging (Lieberman, 2013). Friends challenge one’s beliefs (Nietzsche, 1882/2001), help one grow, develop and become a better human being (Verkerk, 2016). For without friends, life is undesirable (Aristotle, ca. 350 B.C.E./2020). Friendships in the workplaces have been found to have a great role in connecting and committing people with one another and with their organizations (Francis, 1990; Morrison, 2004; Song & Olshfski, 2008). They act as threads, sewing individuals together through their lived shared experiences and holding together teams with stronger ties. As commitment increases to self-made communities, friendship bonds created with peers drive various benefits both for the individuals and the organizations (Riordan & Griffeth, 1995; Sias et al., 2004).

Therefore, and despite the traditional debate between the beauty and the wickedness of friendships at work (e.g. Pillemer & Rothbard, 2018), I decided to see how friendships come about in organizations in the first place, within the social complexity of work environments. Specifically, I examine their embodied practices, and lived stories that facilitates them or draw them back, with the overall purpose of understanding the processes behind this important and common phenomenon (Nielsen et al., 2000). By conducting a 14-month ethnographic study on a newly formed team that had come together to work on an innovative idea in a newly born company, I explore how friendship bonds emerge. As ‘practice’ is the entanglement of bodily, discursive and material components (Janssens & Steyaert, 2020), I analyze the spaces, environments and situations that form the story of the team’s friendships.

 The narratives at hand show how the story of their friendships developed while building their startup company, and how I, as a researcher, became part of that story. The observations guide us to the role of friendships as a dimension of organizing and sheds light on the unnoticed practices in our daily interactions and circumstances that could play a significant role in weaving people together or making it challenging for them to get closer.

Kleiner, T.K. 

Thomas Kleiner, Nargiza Zokhidova, Anthony Adamgbo, Tatyana Robinson (Webster U.-Washington, St. Louis, Tashkent) TK Kleiner, Tityana Robinson, and Anthony Adamgbo

Voices of African Heritage: Together Telling in the Lived Experiences of Family and Story

Understanding people from diverse cultures, race, and national origin is elusive and often controversial in our multicultural society. Being Hispanic and Euromerican in a blended family fathering an African American and Native American son has its own challenges coming from different ontological perspectives. The effects of being an African American or African immigrant in a predominantly Euromerican culture also creates differing shades of realities based on the dynamic complexities of their origins, cultures, and the place they now call home. We will hear the stories of  two people with African origins living in America today.

Being a young woman of color in America carries with diverse ways of knowing is not a single race or national origin based on place, heritage, and culture. Self-love, hope, aspirations, adoration of people and things, and understanding oneself  are not experienced in the same ways by everyone of color. Unfortunately, for many young African Americans growing up in America, self-perception is being the “exception” leading to feelings of disdain for “the rule.” You quickly and easily learn, there’s something about you they all believe but they are not saying. It makes being you shrink. However, a young woman of color deciding to attend an HBCU (Clark Atlanta University) created a sense of belongingness and ignited well deserved pride in her Blackness. Understanding the dynamics of being black seems to be a struggle just a generation away.

Ogonis are a minority Indigenous ethnic group in Nigeria. The Ogoni Kingdom, located in the Southeastern part of Nigeria, known as the Niger Delta, is among the richest oil producing area of the world and Nigeria depends on oil resources throughout its history as Republic since her independent from the Great Britain in 1960. Survival of the Ogoni people is perilous as they face political and cultural marginalization, economic strangulation, and their lands ravaged by environmental degradation. Persecution of the Ogoni because of these peaceful, nonviolent demand culminated in the genocide of the Ogoni people and hanging of Ken Saro wiwa and eight others on November 10th,1995, resulting with the exodus of many Ogonis from Nigeria as international refugees. This is the story of one of those refugees coming to America to start a new life and family.

Larsen, Jens

Unveiling Resilience-Integrating Art & True Storytelling through Clay in Trauma-informed Youth Work

Abstract:

This research endeavors to delve into the transformative potential of incorporating art, specifically clay, as a medium in the creative process for working with young individuals grappling with trauma. The objective is to explore the utilization of the 7 Principles of True Storytelling and together-telling as a framework to guide and facilitate meaningful engagements that foster healing and resilience.

The study aims to bridge the gap between art therapy and trauma-informed care by introducing a novel approach that integrates the tactile and expressive qualities of clay with the foundational principles of true storytelling and together-telling. Grounded in the belief that art serves as a powerful channel for emotional expression and self-discovery, this presentation seeks to examine how the creative process, particularly with clay, can provide a safe and non-verbal space for young people to explore, articulate, and reconstruct their narratives.

The 7 Principles of True Storytelling and together-telling will serve as a theoretical framework to structure the interventions, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, vulnerability, and connection. Through a series of workshops and qualitative assessments, the research aims to uncover the impact of this innovative methodology on the emotional well-being, self-esteem, and coping mechanisms of the participants.

The choice of clay as the primary material stems from its versatility, sensory richness, and the potential for metaphorical expression. By engaging with clay, participants can mold, shape, and give form to their emotions, enabling a tangible representation of their experiences and fostering a deeper connection to their narratives.

This research aspires not only to contribute to the theoretical understanding of trauma-informed art interventions but also to offer practical insights for educators, therapists, and practitioners working with youth populations. Through this exploration, we anticipate uncovering valuable strategies to empower young individuals on their journey towards healing and resilience, ultimately enhancing their capacity for self-expression and positive transformation.

Long, Ken.  Ken Long, Abstracts 18, 19, & 20.  ken long <longke@yahoo.com>

Abstract 1: The Life Audit Theater: a technique for Navigating my open heart surgery

On the last day of July, 2023 I suffered a mild heart attack at the end of a two hour soccer practice in the summer Kansas heat at a youth soccer camp. A week later I was on the operating table for open-heart surgery to repair an aortic valve which had become severely restricted. While preparing for the surgery and recovery I developed a personalized true storytelling technique which I call life audit theater to navigate my way through the healthcare experience with intention of living well preparing well in emerging with a new sense of purpose and direction. This paper describes my approach the highlights in the outcomes of this process as an artifact that is an essential part of life audit theater. This paper describes how I integrated the teachings of Vision Quest, True Storytelling, Protreptic Coaching, Naikan engagement and intermittent fasting to implement my vision and intention for this experience.

 Abstract 2: The story of a five-year-olds plan to revolutionize our soccer Academy: Coaching with Cooper

After 25 years of youth soccer coaching year-round at the highest level I surrendered the team circle to my players in the middle of the field and simply asked them who had a plan for how to play the second half. It turns out that one of my five-year-old players name Cooper had a good plan that we all supported which was so good that it revolutionized the way we approach Academy soccer in our community club. This is Cooper's story of together telling on the soccer pitch

 Abstract 3: The power and imperatives of creating artifacts in the True Storytelling experience

Maquen, Isabel

"Stories of Organizational Deviance: Weaving an Authentic LATAM Corporate Culture through Storytelling".

In the dynamic realm of Storytelling within the context of organizational culture, there is one aspect of profound relevance that is often overlooked: organizational deviance stories. These narratives offer a unique look at the challenges, ethical dilemmas and lessons learned in the corporate fabric. They are stories that, while not always frequently shared, play a crucial role in the construction of the corporate narrative….

At the heart of organizational culture lie the company's values, mission and vision. Storytelling is the tool by which these key elements are conveyed. However, organizational deviance stories add an additional dimension to the narrative. By incorporating these narratives, a company shows transparency in addressing its internal challenges, which in turn promotes accountability and learning.

The inclusion of organizational deviance stories within the framework of organizational culture Storytelling has multiple benefits. It fosters an environment of openness and learning, where employees feel encouraged to communicate problems and solutions. It also reinforces the idea that deviance is not a failure, but an opportunity for growth.

Effective organizational deviance storytelling is essential. This involves not only narrating the challenges and solutions, but also highlighting the impact on corporate culture and the company's long-term vision. Storytelling promotes a deep understanding of the emotions of employees who are immersed through stories, making employees identify with the characters and their experiences.

Mendez, Oscar Javier Montiel Mendez et al

Oscar Javier Montiel Mendez[2]  Isabel Cristina Flores Rueda[3]  Jose Javier Muniz Roqueme

Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, México; Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, México;

Corporación Universitaria Rafael Núñez, Colombia

The History of Entrepreneurship Backward: An Exploratory Approach from a case study in Colombia

Purpose: We conducted a novel, new, in-depth, multidimensional analysis of entrepreneurship to determine how artifacts can be employed to build a history embedded within an entrepreneurial project (its processes).

Methodological design:  

A two-stage exploratory method from industrial archeology (IA) deconstructs the artifact in its material and usage context before placing it in an organizational setting while utilizing historical and qualitative methodologies (triangulation and hermeneutic interpretation of a case study narrative).

Results: This study provides important insights into the historical evolution of entrepreneurship through the lens of AI in the context of a Colombian company specializing in the development of complete and removable dental prostheses. By leveraging the AI method, this company’s manufacturing process has facilitated an in-depth exploration of how advancements in technologies, materials, and techniques have positively influenced the evolution and development of entrepreneurial ventures. The company has strategically targeted diverse market segments, ranging from children to older adults, who have experienced tooth loss, positioning itself as a valuable solution to a common dental issue. This enhances its marketing advantage as the company’s primary focus revolves around enhancing individuals’ quality of life by restoring their smiles and dental functions.

The Two Roads of Green Banks: Privatization or State-Sponsored by Abraham Millan

The term “green bank” or “green banking” does not have an internationally agreed-upon

definition. However, according to the EPA, green banks are public, quasi-public, or nonprofit

financing entities that leverage public and private capital to pursue goals for clean energy

projects that reduce emissions. The keyword to highlight in the definition given by the EPA is

“public”. By the EPA using the other terms of quasi-public, or nonprofit these financial

institutions are government-sponsored by governmental entities. The singular term banks refers

to institutions that provide customers and businesses access to money to engage in financial

behavior. The combination of the two terms “green” and “bank” classifies an institution that

provides the same functions as other financial organizations with the express intention of

engaging in financial behavior that promotes environmental sustainability. Green banks offer a

wide variety of financial instruments such as: loans, lines of credits, underwriting bonds for

sustainability projects, etc. Other key terms can be used to describe the functions of a green

bank. Terms such as “climate finance”, “green finance”, “Climate finance”, and “sustainability

finance”. This honors thesis is to incorporate a mixed methods methodology to address the issue

of potential privatization. Within the thesis I will be examining and proposing the possibility of a

private green bank. The thesis will incorporate data and information from the Connecticut Green

Bank and will propose a privatization structure of the bank.

Pepion, Don Native American Philosophy: The Ontology of Difference

This session further develops ideas presented at previous Storytelling conferences over the years, beginning with the understanding that Western knowledge typically rejects Indigenous thought. The "ontology of difference" theoretical and conceptual ideations are NOT about the Eurocentric theories on 'being" and/or "becoming". This is about Native American philosophy and more specifically Piikani ways of being and becoming in the world.

Rabeau, M-C   Reconnecting with Self

What if one’s faculty of being reflexive is no longer possible? What if a disturbing situation is so shattering that one becomes one with this very situation, incapable of the distanciation reflexivity requires?

I, myself, was left to roam in such a place for nearly four years, struggling with acute mental illness. Granted, I did not land there all at once. I first saw myself pulled in a whirlpool, witnessing it happen, thinking day after day: “How long can it last? This needs to end. This has to stop”. Day after day, I was allegedly fighting to extirpate myself from this mad vortex, while at the same time, deep down, part of me knew it was wishful thinking, or even more, false promises.

And then I lost touch. The whirlpool got stronger than me, and before I knew it, I found myself sucked in a dark hole, suspended in time, floating in a space where there was no such notion of a ceiling and a floor. I had lost sense of continuity. My brain had been high jacked: not only was I unable of reflexivity, I no longer was the one acting. Somehow, something greater than me was commanding every single of my thoughts and actions, as one would do with a puppet, a something I got to name “The Monster”. I always kept some brief moments of lucidity where I realized how deep in the trench I was with no clue as to how I would pull myself out, or if that would even be a possibility.

Why did I end up in such as space and how did I eventually find my way out? Relying on an autoethnography (Prasad, 2019; Rambo, 2005; Wright & Wright, 2019) based on retrospective recall, this is what I hope to share with my fellow scholars and storytellers at the 2023 edition of the Quantum Storytelling Conference. I intend to dig deeper into Ricoeur’s narrative identity framework whereby identity is comprised of three constituents, that is, Sameness, Selfhood and Otherness, a framework I myself got to experience as I was rewriting my PhD dissertation while in the final stage of exiting my black hole.

Ritter, E., Larsen, J., Witmer, H.

 Abstract submitted by Eva Ritter, Jens Larsen and Hope Witmer (on-line presentation)

Eva Ritter1, Jens Larsen2, Hope Witmer3

1Corresponding author: Eva Ritter,(PhD), Institute Nordic Perspectives, D-24937 Flensburg,eva.ritter@nordicperspectives.com

2Jens Larsen, True Storytelling Institute, DK-1658 Copenhagen V

3Hope Witmer (Phd), Center for Worklife Evaluation Studies (CTA), Department of Urban Studies, Malmö University, Sweden

There are multiple ways of working with storytelling in sustainability research. The method elaborated in this paper is based upon True Storytelling (Larsen et al. 2021), which is inspired by the indigenous people’s approach to storytelling (Cajete 2000). It is in line with Haraway’s understanding of the earth as a complex web of relations (Haraway 2016). True Storytelling uses together-telling (a storytelling in a dialogical way) to support the co-creation of stories. In a project carried out in Greenland and Finmark, together-telling was used to embrace different perspectives on human-nature-relationships, including indigenous perspectives. The personal stories collected by the project revolved around a number of themes relevant for leadership and mental health, e.g. trust, dealing with resistance, accepting changeability, strengthening the community. A method was developed to inspire sustainability leaders to strive for cultivating the understanding of response-ability. The paper discusses the approach and the method. We suggest using it in organisation and leadership studies to strengthen a more inclusive perspective and the co-creation of stories –in the Arctic and beyond.

Saylors, Rohny ;  Relational Intuition Building as a New Frontier in Together Telling

The purpose of this article is to enhance our understanding of organizational dynamics through the lens of Relational Intuition Building, a novel framework that integrates intuitive wisdom with analytical rigor in scientific inquiry. We do this by applying the principles of Relational Intuition Building to the interpretation and analysis of the works of Boje, Von Bertalanffy, Heracleous, Valentini, and Clapp-Smith et al. This contribution offers a synthesis of intuitive sensing, logical analysis, compassionate ethics, and participatory engagement, providing a more holistic understanding of the complexities inherent in Boje's quantum storytelling and Von Bertalanffy's general systems theory. Further, it provides a nuanced perspective on Heracleous' quantum strategy, Valentini's sub-quantum physics, and Clapp-Smith et al.'s leadership development approach, by integrating ethical considerations and participatory engagement. In doing so, this study contributes to our understanding of organizational dynamics by offering a next step in addressing the complexity of organizations, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on quantum and systems thinking in organizational research.

Saylors, Jillian  True Storytelling on the Spectrum:  “Neurodiverse antenarrative time in the open region of organizations”

  I have a passion for helping people with autism find meaningful employment. I know how hard it can be to bridge the gap between different perspectives and expectations in the workplace. That's why I have been researching autism and employment for over a decade, when there was hardly any literature on the topic. Now, there is more awareness and interest in the business community, but they are still asking the wrong questions. They want to know what autism is and what value it adds to the workforce. I want to show them how people with autism and employers can work together to create a productive and inclusive environment. But I can't do this alone. I need your help. I need you to join me in creating a space, a stage, where we can share our stories, our challenges, our dreams, and our solutions. A space where we can learn from each other, inspire each other, and transform each other. A space where we can be ourselves, and be part of something bigger.

            You don't need to have a clear vision of your life's purpose to join this space. You do not even need to share my vision, create or bring your own to this space. You just need to be curious, open-minded, and willing to grow. In this link, you will find a folder with some resources to help you get started.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gZyJwIdO5LX8ukuq7__Ye8sWuKS-ZUNH?usp=drive_link

Thursday   8 am - 9:30 am pacific time Meetings on ZOOM https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8950795007?pwd=b1BnMVVXT3V6UDRZUVFmMkU2NzQydz09

https://truestoryteling.org   

There is only the flow of our collective creativity and wisdom that will change the shape of the world.

 ACTIVITY of 20-15 min

Good Journey, Dr. Jillian Saylors.  Welcome to Dracolacuna (Dragon space)

You are welcome to join Storytelling on the spectrum 

Thursday   8 am - 9:30 am pacific time Meetings on ZOOM https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8950795007?pwd=b1BnMVVXT3V6UDRZUVFmMkU2NzQydz09

https://truestoryteling.org   

Scott, Anna B. , Active Performance Presentation on Dreaming the Future. #14

            By Dr. Anna B. Scott, dr.annabscott@gmail.com>

            In this participative session, Dr. Anna Scott will outline her multi-year project which received two rounds of funding. This project combined storytelling in filmed interviews, art, drumming, and dance, as well as other community based activities. Participants will be invited to join in some of the performances.

Shufutinsky, Anton & Korbal, Edward

Neuroaxiological Antenarrative Dynamics in Leader-Follower Relationships

Anton Shufutinsky, PhD, DSc, MSPH, RODC, CAC

Edward Korbal, PhD(c), MS, RODC, CAC

Abstract

Leadership is a topic that is highly published and studied in the organization sciences, with ever-increasing attention focused on the attributes, behaviors, and practices of constituted or positional leaders in organizational success or failure. Although there has been an r increase in research surrounding leader-member exchange and leader-member relationships, the attention of the research and literature surrounding these areas still focuses mainly on the leader in those relationship. We have witnessed a slight positive shift in  emphasizing followers, followership, and leader-follower relationships and dynamics. Nevertheless, the majority of the research is performed with phenomenological, traditional grounded theory, and linear narrative approaches. The dearth of addressing antenarrative factors in these investigations perpetuates an incomplete narrative absent the nuances of study participant values, value orientations, the physical and emotional environment, human factors, and temporal variances. This study employed a neuroaxiological analytics approach to examine and abate antenarrative inconsistencies in understanding the dynamics of leader-follower relationships. The study results provide a window into leader-follower relationships while simultaneously exhibiting the methodological flaws of traditional “storytelling” approaches that potentiate incomplete data and interpretation. This can lead to flawed understandings of organizational dynamics, dysfunctions, and culture as well as inaccurate or inadequate intervention recommendations.

Sibel, J. ;  Jim Sibel   Storytelling Interviews

Who are you? What is your STORY? 

When I look at you, whom do I see? 

When I listen to you, what do I hear? 

When I judge you, and you will be judged, what am I judging about you? 

What piece of you am I judging? 

What small segment of your story is the part that triggers me into making my “decision” about who you are and your true capabilities and talents or your weaknesses and inadequacies, in an interview that often lasts less than an hour? I’ve judged your entire life in less than an hour! 

In my different professional lives, I have interviewed many hundreds of applicants for myriad different positions. In how many job interviews have you “judged” people - asking standardized questions intended to expose “knock out factors” -  low risk tolerance, inadequate experience, lack of focus, moves frequently, not “all in” and on and on. 

The cold unvarnished truth is that ultimately, the point of interviewing an applicant is all about making a “judgement” -  is this the right person for the job? Is it a good fit? 

Temple, C.   Cashauna Temple.  Flesh & Blood: The Exploitation of Black Bodies in the Name of Profit

ABSTRACT:

This thesis paper dives into the historical as well as current exploitation of Black bodies,

giving perspective on its pervasiveness. The paper investigates how exploitation, which has its

origins in Africa, grew during the transatlantic slave trade and persisted after enslavement,

finding an outlet in the establishment of human zoos.

Michel Foucault's concept of heterotopia provides a prism through which to explore the

spatial elements of this exploitation. The concept of heterotopia refers to places that defy

established norms of society and exist outside of the norm. Slavery did not erase the damage

done to Black bodies; rather, it altered it, resulting in the creation of human zoos. A number of

European countries, particularly France and Germany, did not believe it was repugnant to keep

Black bodies in captivity as these zoos were simply an alternative to traditional slavery. Human

zoos, for them, went beyond their social contract.

This paper argues that biocolonialism laid the foundation for slavery, which in turn paved

the way for colonization and the eventual establishment of human zoos. Economic incentives and

pseudoscientific justifications perpetuated this exploitation, viewing Black bodies as valuable

commodities rather than undervalued entities. Human zoos epitomized the normalization of

racial prejudices and hierarchies and underscored the intersection of economic interests and

racial exploitation. Understanding this continuum of exploitation is essential for comprehending

its profound and enduring legacy in American history and acknowledging the systemic issues of

racism that persist in contemporary society.

Thomas, Mauryce  & Dr. Anne M. Roberts  Fisk U.,  Creative Curiosity: Asking the Unique Questions

Black gifted and talented students’ needs are unique and need to be met during their K-12  and college-level experiences. At the college level, students are thought to be gifted if they are in the Honors program. This is the story of one HBCU Black Honors student’s self-perceptions of their creativity and curiosity. The story will be told by Mauryce in first person to the audience. It will be a story that is a blend of his own experience and the 12 participants’ experiences.

My major is Psychology and I am from Mobile, Alabama, the deep south. I identify as being Black as well as Southern. I was raised with a sense of pride regarding my lineage, and how my own place of origin molded me into the person I am continuously growing into.

If you ask college freshman, Mauryce, he would not believe how much he has accomplished in his three years at Fisk University. As an aspiring educator and mental health professional, I hope to provide diversity in the mental health field.  Moreover, I was selected by the Harry S.Truman Foundation as a Alabama Finalist for the 2023 cycle. I was the first at Fisk University to make it to finalist status. Upon my senior year, I was asked to be a part of a study on HBCU Honors Students’ Self-Perceptions of their Creativity and Curiosity.

I asked the interviewer a lot of meta questions. What’s the impact of the research? What’s the essence of the research? What’s the impact? Why are you doing this? What’s the end goal? Then, the interviewer asked about my conceptions of creativity and curiosity. Mainly, I thought that curiosity had to do with asking questions and going above and beyond the assigned task.

Next question involved my understanding of creativity. I thought it was about just being you, being unique in whatever you’re doing. It can also be combining different things in ways that people have not thought about before. But then, when I was asked about how I exhibit creativity, I thought of art-inspired takes on creativity. Listening to music. Painting. Writing. Photography. Doing my hair. What we cook and eat. Creativity is just a part of our Black culture. My interview has made me more self-aware of my self-perceptions of creativity and curiosity as I reflect on my experience here at Fisk University.

Tisby-Cousar, W.   Wanda Tisby-Cousar (Ma Bondo Kayakoh)

African Reclamation: Trade Beyond the African Diaspora Lived Experience of Leadership

Among Social Scientists research is a primary focus on topics of the African Diaspora. Ihere remains a gap in deconstructed lived experiences that pertains to sustainable leadership practices that develop African resources for business trade. Diaspora economies exist that sustain villages and neighborhoods, yet expansion through partnerships is an opportunity for growth that must also not compromise authenticity and sustainable development. In this research African diasporas will be identified and the resources that are and would benefit from sustainable development goals. The purpose of this study will unfold through Storytelling methodology business trade in diaspora economies with reference to the PEST analysis (Political, Environmental, Sociocultural, Technological), practices that currently exist and the opportunities for expanding global trade with African resources will emerge predicated by Storytelling methodology.

Keywords: African diaspora, Africa, Reclamation, Storytelling, Leadership, PEST Analysis

Objectives: To raise awareness of African Diaspora economies;

To deconstruct reclaiming Africa in lived stories in the African diaspora that influenced trade with Africa: To leverage existing sustainable development goals in determining the status of progress made in the African diaspora that reflects trade with Africa; To deconstruct narratives to adapt the PEST analysis; Storytelling methodology used with Leaders in the African Diaspora.

Voyageur, Cora

Cora Voyageur, PhD,   #16.  Full Professor, Department of Sociology. U of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta Canada

Abstract: Leading the Nations: First Nation Chiefs in Canada

In the early 2010s, I published a book called, Firekeepers of the 21st Century: First Nation Women Chiefs. In that book I asked female elected leaders in the First Nation community whether they believed gender made a difference in their experience as chief of their communities. I spoke extensively about my research findings in academic and community presentations, media interviews and academic publications. One of the first questions I was asked was whether female and male chiefs had the same experiences. I could not answer that question until now. My presentation discusses the findings of a follow-up study that investigates the present-day experience of chiefs in the Canadian First Nations community.    

My follow-up research project gathered data from 160 First Nation chiefs in Canada. This study explores the day-to-day experiences of elected reserve leadership. This study is meant to inform the Canadian mainstream population about who the First Nation chiefs are, the type of work lives they have and the conditions under which they work. There is misinformation about the work and the ethical behaviour of First Nation chiefs. These conjectures are mainly based upon opinion (rather than fact) and steeped in racism.

I received very poignant and personal information about the role of chief from the respondents. They spoke earnestly about their challenges, triumphs, frustrations and concerns with their diverse roles and duties. I also conducted a gender-based analysis to determine whether the data showed any differences between the approach to leadership of male and female chiefs and if they felt differing expectations were placed upon them based on gender. I am now able to answer the question I could not answer before, “Do female and male chiefs have the same experiences?”