About Me
Najeeba Syeed-Miller is a prolific practitioner and effective educator in the area of conflict resolution among communities of ethnic and religious diversity. Her involvements range widely, including conducting gang interventions, implementing diversity training in universities and public agencies, conflict resolution in public schools, interreligious dialogue among the Abrahamic traditions, and environmental conflict resolution. Her conflict resolution experience has made her a sought after trainer for those who work on conflicts in India, Latin America, Guam, Afghanistan, Israel and Palestine. Her model of intervention is to build the capacity of those closest to the conflict. In particular her research and community activist efforts have focused on the role of women as agents of peacemaking.
NCDD Involvement
former board member of NCDD
About My Work
Organization Name
Director of Interreligious Programs, Center for Engaged Compassion
Title / Position
Assistant Professor of Interreligious Education
Description
There is an increasing awareness of the need for a concerted effort to create spaces for dialogue. The Center for Civic Engagement and Dialogue is the vehicle to coordinate, convene and produce the necessary outcomes for ameliorating intergroup relations on campus, the surrounding community and throughout the world. Negotiation, problem solving and consensus building are keys for students’ long-term success in the worlds of business, law, social welfare, education and related professions.
II. STATEMENT OF NEED: The Center for Civic Engagement and Dialogue will work at three tiers: 1) Campus focused activities 2) Community and public sector 3) International network activities
The campus climate is an indicator of the health of the university community, especially as it relates to minority student achievement and social involvement (Hurtado 1992). Isolation is a risk that can have minor consequences or far more dire effects for any student evidenced by recent incidences campus violence across the nation. There are alternatives to accepting polarization and exclusion as necessary elements of the university experience. . It is clear that if such efforts follow best practices and are evaluated effectively that there can be a great impact and intergroup work can serve to democratize higher educational institutions (Nagda, Gurin, Sorenson and Zuniga 2007). Programs should be experiential, engage diverse constituencies, be based on sound theoretical frameworks and be led by those who are most aware of the particular campus climate. By redefining identities as multi-layered, beyond the notion of separation and into a sense of community it is possible to transform both the interpersonal and inter-group relations within the campus setting.
III. STRUCTURE
The Center provides the necessary technical assistance and coordination in the areas of intergroup relations, dialogue design, conflict resolution education and prevention. Specific programs that could be housed and coordinated through the Center include:
CAMPUS FOCUSED ACTIVITIES:· 1. Student and staff training in crisis management. The Center will train a cadre of staff and students who will be utilized for establishing a crisis response network and coherent plan to deal with outbreaks of conflicts on campus.
2. Long-term engagement circles: There are perennial conflicts that tend to be manifested on univerisity campuses. In the interest of creating a sustained and problem solving approach instead of just a reactive set of actions, the Center would hold leadership training for students who are interested in moving conflicts forward. One component of the training would be the creation of problem solving maps and dialogue design sessions throughout the course of the academic year to provide a proactive approach to complex and divisive issues through dialogue design sessions throughout the course of the academic year to provide a proactive approach to complex and divisive issues.
3. Student driven programming in residence halls, for campus student groups and academic classes: The Center will develop experiential, co-curricular modules in the area of diversity, civic engagement and dialogue design that can be implemented by students for students upon request as well as integrated into the training of residential life staff, student leadership for campus groups and relevant academic classes.
PUBLIC SECTOR AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED ACTIVITIES: 1. Service learning and reflective practices: Los Angeles is one of the most outstanding laboratories for diversity training in the world. The Center will engage students in the community on specific projects involved collaborative governance, race relations or related topics.
2. Community engagement, private and public sector training: The Center will offer training in dialogue design, civic leadership and participation for community partners, corporate and governmental entities in order to build capacity in these areas on critical issues such as race relations, community/police relations, urban land disputes and gang violence prevention. The focus will be on co-creating public engagement procedures that enhance and democratize policy development by including the views and voices of those most affected by the decisions and promote collaborative problem solving.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING
1. Model international university engagement centers and network: The model international university program will partner with six universities around the world to share practices and research on the university as a model, which can serve as the focal point for dialogue, improving religious tolerance and serve as an agent for public diplomacy and intergroup relations. Eventually, there will be an effort to host an international conference that will bring together the different campuses for in person discussion. Until that is feasible, existing technology will serve as a means for dialogue and exchange.
2. International clearinghouse on the university as a center for civic engagement and dialogue: This digital portal can be utilized by universities around the world to access technical assistance on establishing programs in dialogue and civic engagement.
This group was formed to help NCDDers in Southern California to network and share area-specific announcements. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, there are no clear boundaries for this area.
We wanted to create one group that every NCDD member is a part of, so we can provide a space where all members can take part in discussions here in the members network.
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