Welcome (Bienvenidos) to the second issue of the International Journal of Collaborative Practices. The Journal is a space for the members of a growing international community to share, explore and expand their collaborative practices.
We are witnessing a forceful swelling plea from all corners of the world for democracy, social justice and human rights. People want to participate, contribute and share ownership. They demand respectful listening and responsiveness to their defined needs without our redefining their needs or making important decisions for them. They refuse to be dismissed as mere numbers and categories, or have their humanity violently dishonored and freedom suppressed. These demands force us in the social and human sciences to reassess how we experience and understand the world around us, our clients, our practice tools and our roles as practitioners.
The Journal publishes articles on a variety of practices from various disciplines and contexts, including education and training, research, clinical practice, organization development, leadership and coaching among others in response to these demands and the associated persistent questions:
How can we make our theories and practices have everyday relevance and how can our ordinary experiences have relevance for our theories and practices,
for as many people as possible in our fast changing world?
What will this relevance accomplish? And who determines it?
This Issue
This issue features five articles from practitioners in Canada, Mexico, Sweden and the United States. The authors share their unique applications of working collaboratively in adverse medical events, therapy, supervision, training and research. The Frequently Asked Questions section responds to, and invites readers’ responses to this issue’s question: “What is collaborating?” From the Bookshelf reflections on Turkish novelist Orhan Pauk’s essay “My Father’s Suitcase” and Mexican professor Salvador Moreno Lopez’s book Descubriendo mi Sabiduria Corporal (Focusing) illustrate how readers are inspired by writings from a variety of areas.
In the Backpage section we are pleased to announce a new program in our growing network of collaborative practitioners: International Certificate Program for Collaborative Practitioners with learning programs in several countries. Please take a look at this announcement and other upcoming events and news.
Acknowledgements
The Journal depends on volunteers for its editing, technical production and article translation. This issue would not have been possible without the help of a very special group of volunteers. I send heartfelt gratitude to translators Dr. Bernadette Solorzano and her amazing graduate students in the Psychology Department, Our Lady of the Lake University (San Antonio, Texas): Alanna Carrasco, Daniella “Danny” Dominguez, Celina Gonzalez, Gabriella “Gaby” Nunez, Claudia Espinoza Sanchez, Mona Stribling and Melissa Talamantes; Adriana Gil-Wilkerson (Houston Galveston Institute and Our Lady of the Lake University-Houston); Francisco Javier Troncoso (Santiago, Chili) and Joanna Berryman (Houston, Texas). I also wish to express thanks to Suzanne Senn who helped with reference formatting and Coleen Owens who helped with the page formatting.
Harlene Anderson
May 15, 2011
International Journal of Collaborative-Dialogic Practices 