June 2-4, 1995

Advocacy in the classroom is one of the most contentious issues facing higher education today. Consequently, the American Historical Association is pleased to cosponsor ''The Role of Advocacy in the Classroom," a conference that will take place in Pittsburgh on June 2 through 4, 1995. Fifteen other scholarly organizations representing a variety of disciplines, including law, religion, anthropology, philosophy, sociology, geography, American studies, and art, will join the AHA in sponsoring the conference, which will present an unusual opportunity for frank, nonpolarized discussion of an important and timely issue.

In three plenary sessions, leading scholars with disparate views of advocacy and intellectual inquiry will address the historical, legal, and ethical dimensions of advocacy in teaching and research. In addition to the plenary sessions, there will be small group meetings in which participants will discuss a variety of related topics, and a final session in which four distinguished scholars will reflect upon the conference and point out areas of-agreement and disagreement among participants. The conference proceedings will be published after the conference. Some of the specific questions that the conference will address include

What is meant by the terms advocacy, proselytizing, and political in connection with the classroom and the curriculum?

Under what conditions is advocacy acceptable?

Is it possible to be pedagogically effective without engaging in advocacy?

What are faculty members' responsibilities to students?

What are institutions' responsibilities to students, faculty members, parents, boards of trustees, and legislatures?

What are the political and social assumptions that underlie different positions on advocacy in the classroom?

Faculty members, administrators, and students are encouraged to attend the conference. Space is limited, and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The general registration fee is $100; the student registration fee is $50. For additional details, contact Karin Bagnall, Advocacy Conference, P.O. Box 775, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10276. (212) 614-6315.