Giving: Caring for the Needs of Strangers

The importance of holding this proposed 3-day conference on Giving: Caring for the Needs of Strangers is rooted in the urgency of the issues involved. Increasing numbers of people are desperately in need of help from others, whether because of devastating poverty, natural disaster, conflict, or the more subtle injustices of unequal access to healthcare, education, human rights, workers’ rights, women’s rights, and social justice more broadly. Giving will do more than address important issues—it will examine critical issues in such a way that the experts, academics, students, and general public who are present will deepen their understanding of the topics, be introduced to new and different perspectives from sectors and disciplines beyond their own, and broaden their professional networks with other people present at the conference. The duration and impact of the conference will be greatly extended through the publication of its proceedings in a special issue of Social Research: An International Quarterly, which will reach primary and secondary audiences of well over 2,000 people in more than 50 countries. The Social Research conference office is well equipped to organize and mount a successful conference with well-known experts from multiple fields and a keynote speaker who can bring additional public and press attention to the conference. In successfully mounting our 27 previous conferences, we have proven our ability both to attract large, interested, dedicated audiences and to be cost-effective at every step of organizing the conference and publishing the special issue. With this conference, we aim to focus public and policy attention on issues of giving and caring for others and help increase awareness of both the needs of others and the imperative to assume responsibility to alleviate these needs.