IARSLCE Conference 2019 Albuquerque

This is arguably the most important conference on research in service-learning.  IARSLCE stands for International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement Conference.  IARSLCE 2019 is the 19th conference, reflecting the long history of the organization. 

This year the emphasis is on the “international” aspect.  I helped to organise a plenary panel discussion on the second day.  I am also one of the members of the panel, coming from Hong Kong, representing Asia.  Nicole Webster, from Pennsylvania State University, has extensive experience in Francophone Africa, particularly Burkina Faso.  Nascira Ramia, is from Ecuador, Ecuador, representing South America.  Lavinia Bracci, from Sienna, represents Europe.  Finally, there is Andrew Furco, University of Minnesota, an elder of the community and well-known internationalist.  The moderator of the panel is Richard Kiely of Cornell University, an American.  

The panel covers several major regions of the world, by design.  IARSLCE itself is actually quite American-centric.  Its members and most of the attendees of the conference are Americans, and much of their work concerns mainly the USA. For example, the term “women of colour” is used quite often here.  On the other hand, there are a lot of activities in different regions of the world, with their own specific issues, challenges, methods, use of terminology, etc. For example, in latin America, their speak of “Solidarity” rather than service-learning., while solidarity invokes something quite different in Europe.  Some members are now pushing to expand the coverage of IARSLCE, hence the panel.  I was encouraged by some to put my name forward as a candidate for the board.  I don’t think I was well-known in the organization.  But to my surprise, I was elected.  My mission is to help to make the organisation more international.  One of my major objectives is to bring the IARSLCE conference to Hong Kong, perhaps as early as 2021.  

This year the conference is held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.  The territories of New Mexico was inhabited by Indians before the arrival of the Europeans.  Then it was claimed by Spain, and partly by France.  Subsequently a large part of it became part of Mexico, when Mexico won independence from Spain.  Then it passed to American hands when USA defeated Mexico.  

Quite a complicated history in the past 300 years.  Today its population is approximately 2 million, only about 1/3 of that of Hong Kong.  But its land area is 300 times bigger.  Is that unfair?  Or what?

On the other hand, the local beer tastes quite good.