Michigan Environmental Council CEO talks ethical conflict for CLEAR's Fall SciComm Workshop
In October, Conan Smith, President & CEO of the Michigan Environmental Council presented about his work as a part of CLEAR's Science Communication Seminar series.
His talk drew on his experience working in advocacy spaces to speak on conflict that are common in today's world, and focused the workshop on conflict engagement, drawing contrast to the idea of conflict resolution. Engagement teaches people how to sit and work through uncomfortable situations in order to arrive at solutions with wide ranging benefits. He raised the questions, When lives are at risk, do advocates have an obligation to fight fair? If so, how do we engage in conflict constructively without sacrificing power? If not, are there lines that can't be crossed, and how do you determine where they are? These questions draw on broader existential questions of whether current political rhetoric can effectively address threats such as pollution, climate change, and environmental injustices.
Smith grew up in Ann Arbor, and was inspired by his grandparent's work in the civil rights movement, and developed a passion for the environment from his father. He earned a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, and an MA in Dispute Resolution from Wayne State. His career focused on the intersection of writing and environmental policy, working for organizations where he could put his creative writing skills to work in political settings.
In his talk, Smith introduced four common roots of conflict: incompatible values, incompatible roles, contested resources, and justice. Identifying the root of conflict helps map out a plan to address it, says Smith. Smith encourages participants to share conflicts they have addressed in their own professional lives, which covered topics like wages in the auto industry and city permitting, and also drew from real world examples such as art vandalism to raise awareness about climate change. An important question to ask is what is the line between ethical engagement and escalation, which is unique to individual situations. Smith raised the point that not all conflict will be solved through discourse or information gathering, which can guide people to decide what actions are appropriate with respect to each conflict situation.