[{"id":132,"date":"2026-04-27T00:01:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=132"},"modified":"2026-04-29T16:58:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T16:58:00","slug":"participants","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/","title":{"rendered":"Participants"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-1536x1187.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference.jpg 1650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"min-height:575px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1545\" height=\"2000\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-153 size-full\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background.jpg 1545w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-1187x1536.jpg 1187w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e7eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">To Be Announced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:116px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"135\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-108\" style=\"width:253px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png 465w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli-300x87.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 27th McDowell Conference: Philosophical Questions of AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Location: Butler Board Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Washington, DC 20016<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Website Manager: Kali Van Nostrand<\/p>\n\n\n<nav class=\"has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-3817c3ed wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Navigation\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container\"  id=\"modal-1\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-1-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-navigation__container has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation has-small-font-size\"><ul class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-page-list\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click menu-item-home\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/\">Participants<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/program\/\">Program<\/a><\/li><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/\">26th McDowell Conference<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th McDowell Conference submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/\">26th Participants<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th Participants submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/david-j-gunkel-2\/\">Keynote,David J. Gunkel<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/neda-atanasoski\/\">Neda Atanasoski<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/peter-d-hershock\/\">Peter D. Hershock<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/gordon-hull\/\">Gordon Hull<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/brian-jordan-jefferson\/\">Brian Jordan Jefferson<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/leigh-johnson\/\">Leigh Johnson<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/program\/\">26th Program<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background-color\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-91a691eb wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-256aec57 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> Proudly powered by <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\">WordPress<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"home-panels.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-132","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/132\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":131,"date":"2026-04-27T00:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=131"},"modified":"2026-04-29T16:57:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T16:57:34","slug":"program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/program\/","title":{"rendered":"Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference-1536x1187.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/27th-mcdowell-conference.jpg 1650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"min-height:575px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1545\" height=\"2000\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-153 size-full\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background.jpg 1545w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2026\/04\/blue-background-1187x1536.jpg 1187w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e7eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">To Be Announced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:116px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"135\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-108\" style=\"width:253px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png 465w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli-300x87.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 27th McDowell Conference: Philosophical Questions of AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Location: Butler Board Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Washington, DC 20016<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Website Manager: Kali Van Nostrand<\/p>\n\n\n<nav class=\"has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-3817c3ed wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Navigation 2\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container\"  id=\"modal-2\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-2-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-navigation__container has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation has-small-font-size\"><ul class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-page-list\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click menu-item-home\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/\">Participants<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/program\/\">Program<\/a><\/li><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/\">26th McDowell Conference<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th McDowell Conference submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/\">26th Participants<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th Participants submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/david-j-gunkel-2\/\">Keynote,David J. Gunkel<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/neda-atanasoski\/\">Neda Atanasoski<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/peter-d-hershock\/\">Peter D. Hershock<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/gordon-hull\/\">Gordon Hull<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/brian-jordan-jefferson\/\">Brian Jordan Jefferson<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/leigh-johnson\/\">Leigh Johnson<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/program\/\">26th Program<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background-color\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-91a691eb wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-256aec57 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> Proudly powered by <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\">WordPress<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"home-panels.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-131","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/131\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":129,"date":"2026-04-26T22:55:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T22:55:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=129"},"modified":"2026-04-27T00:02:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:02:35","slug":"26th-mcdowell-conference","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"26th McDowell Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/updated-header-2-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/updated-header-2-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/updated-header-2-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/updated-header-2-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/updated-header-2-1536x1187.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/updated-header-2.jpg 1650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keynote Speaker <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/david-j-gunkel-2\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/David-J.-Gunkel-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/David-J.-Gunkel-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/David-J.-Gunkel-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/David-J.-Gunkel-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/David-J.-Gunkel-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/David-J.-Gunkel.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:29px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Speakers <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/neda-atanasoski\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Ned-Atanasoski-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Ned-Atanasoski-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Ned-Atanasoski-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Ned-Atanasoski-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Ned-Atanasoski-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Ned-Atanasoski.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:23px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/peter-d-hershock\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-37\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/gordon-hull\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hull-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hull-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hull-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hull-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hull-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hull.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/brian-jordan-jefferson\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Jefferson-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Jefferson-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Jefferson-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Jefferson-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Jefferson-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Jefferson.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/leigh-johnson\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-40\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moderators <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Clarke-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Clarke-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Clarke-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Clarke-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Clarke-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Clarke.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/ERfani-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-43\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/ERfani-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/ERfani-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/ERfani-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/ERfani-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/ERfani.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Rhoad-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Rhoad-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Rhoad-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Rhoad-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Rhoad-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Rhoad.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conference Organizer  <\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Park-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-45\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Park-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Park-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Park-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Park-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Park.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:116px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"135\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-108\" style=\"width:253px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png 465w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli-300x87.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 27th McDowell Conference: Philosophical Questions of AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Location: Butler Board Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Washington, DC 20016<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Website Manager: Kali Van Nostrand<\/p>\n\n\n<nav class=\"has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-3817c3ed wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Navigation 3\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container\"  id=\"modal-3\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-3-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-navigation__container has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation has-small-font-size\"><ul class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-page-list\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click menu-item-home\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/\">Participants<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/program\/\">Program<\/a><\/li><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/\">26th McDowell Conference<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th McDowell Conference submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/\">26th Participants<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th Participants submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/david-j-gunkel-2\/\">Keynote,David J. Gunkel<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/neda-atanasoski\/\">Neda Atanasoski<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/peter-d-hershock\/\">Peter D. Hershock<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/gordon-hull\/\">Gordon Hull<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/brian-jordan-jefferson\/\">Brian Jordan Jefferson<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/leigh-johnson\/\">Leigh Johnson<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/program\/\">26th Program<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background-color\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-91a691eb wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-256aec57 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> Proudly powered by <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\">WordPress<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keynote Speaker Speakers Moderators Conference Organizer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-129","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/129\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":93,"date":"2025-10-11T02:29:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T02:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=93"},"modified":"2025-10-13T15:57:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:57:41","slug":"leigh-johnson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/leigh-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"Leigh Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Leigh Johnson, American University<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"586\" height=\"584\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1.png 586w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Johnson-1-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 586px) 100vw, 586px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Professor Leigh Johnson&#8217;s <\/strong>career spans nearly two decades in higher education. Her areas of expertise range from moral and political philosophy, to critical race theory and gender theory, to bioethics and emergent technologies. She is committed to fostering intellectual curiosity and social awareness, mentoring students and innovative projects outside the classroom. Johnson is also an accomplished podcast producer, video editor, and their real-world implications. She is the managing editor and producer of the podcast <em>Hotel Bar Sessions<\/em>. She lends her multifaceted experience to her strong commitment to foster critical discourse and leveraging philosophical insights in our fast-evolving digital landscape.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-71 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&#8220;Delete, Retain, Haunt: The Spectral Ethics of AI Memory&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This paper develops a hauntological account of AI memory, drawing on Derrida to challenge standard framings of deletion and retention. I argue that phenomena such as hallucinations, catastrophic forgetting, and biased outputs should be understood as spectral returns rather than technical errors. AI systems function as haunted archives, where traces reappear unpredictably and resist full mastery. Recasting these dynamics in hauntological terms shifts the ethical question: responsibility is not achieved by eliminating ghosts but by learning how to live with them critically and justly.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Leigh Johnson, American University Professor Leigh Johnson&#8217;s career spans nearly two decades in higher education. Her areas of expertise range from moral and political philosophy, to critical race theory and gender theory, to bioethics and emergent technologies. She is committed to fostering intellectual curiosity and social awareness, mentoring students and innovative projects outside the classroom. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":26,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":91,"date":"2025-10-11T02:23:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T02:23:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=91"},"modified":"2025-10-20T20:49:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T20:49:36","slug":"brian-jordan-jefferson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/brian-jordan-jefferson\/","title":{"rendered":"Brian Jordan Jefferson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Brian Jordan Jefferson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"180\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Brian-Jordan_Jefferson-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92 size-full\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Brian Jordan Jefferson <\/strong>is associate professor of Geography and Geographic Information Science. He is author of<em> Digitize and Punish<\/em> (Minnesota 2020). He has served on committees for panels on AI ethics for the Association for Computing Machinery, International Conference on Machine Learning, and Neural Information Processing Systems conferences and is an affiliate of the Science Technology &amp; Social Values lab.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-71 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&#8220;Political not Technical: Artificial Intelligence &amp; the Genealogical Method&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>October 4, 2022 the White House unveils its Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. Nine months later,<br>the UN Security Council holds its first meeting on AI governance; days after, the White House<br>announces plans to deregulate AI on one hand, and regulate the ideological content in AI models<br>on the other. A growing number of engineers and social scientists have joined forces in response<br>to these developments in fields like AI Ethics, AI &amp; Society, and Computing &amp; Society. Too often<br>however, their efforts share a critical limitation: they define AI solely on its own technical terms<br>and seek technical solutions for its problems. Jefferson shows how technical descriptions are<br>necessary but insufficient for addressing the political challenges posed by AI. From its inception,<br>the state has played a fundamental role in AI\u2019s development. AI must therefore be defined not<br>only in terms of processing symbols, but also in terms of governance, sovereignty, territory, and<br>warfare. Jefferson outlines how a genealogical approach to studying AI helps illuminate its<br>political dimensions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brian Jordan Jefferson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Brian Jordan Jefferson is associate professor of Geography and Geographic Information Science. He is author of Digitize and Punish (Minnesota 2020). He has served on committees for panels on AI ethics for the Association for Computing Machinery, International Conference on Machine Learning, and Neural Information Processing Systems [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":26,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-91","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/91\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":89,"date":"2025-10-11T02:10:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T02:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=89"},"modified":"2025-10-13T15:57:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:57:14","slug":"gordon-hull","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/gordon-hull\/","title":{"rendered":"Gordon Hull"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Gordon Hull, University of North Carolina<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gordon-Hull-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-90 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gordon-Hull-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gordon-Hull-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gordon-Hull-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gordon-Hull-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gordon-Hull-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Gordon Hull <\/strong>is Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy at UNC Charlotte, where he is also affiliate faculty in the School of Data Science. He works on moral and political philosophy, with a current emphasis on issues at the intersection of law, technology and theory. He is the author of <em>The Biopolitics of Intellectual Property<\/em> (2019) and <em>Hobbes and the Making of Modern Political Thought<\/em> (2009), as well as numerous articles. He currently leads the Center for Humane AI Studies (CHAIS), an interdisciplinary research team at UNC Charlotte that studies the humanities and social science implications of AI.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-71 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&#8220;Crash Test Dummies: AI and the Zombie Juridical Subject&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An emerging literature claims that the traditional, legal subject is dead, replaced by the direct biopolitical regulation of the life processes. This paper argues that the biopolitical subject produces as its supplement a zombie juridical subject. AI regulation shows paradigmatically how this works. First, our engagement with AI is biopolitical (language, facial recognition, driving, etc.). In this environment, juridical subjectivity returns in zombie form, to enforce legal claims against juridicial subjects who absorb liability for the harms of systems they do not actually control. This is clearest in \u201chumans in the loop\u201d requirements in systems like autonomous vehicles. Deprived of any real power and agency, zombie subjects function like crash test dummies. AI thus shows that at the extreme of biopower, there is still the need for some structures of juridical subjectivity to keep the biopolitical system moving.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gordon Hull, University of North Carolina Gordon Hull is Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy at UNC Charlotte, where he is also affiliate faculty in the School of Data Science. He works on moral and political philosophy, with a current emphasis on issues at the intersection of law, technology and theory. He is the author [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":26,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-89","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":87,"date":"2025-10-11T01:46:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T01:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=87"},"modified":"2025-10-13T15:55:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:55:39","slug":"peter-d-hershock","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/peter-d-hershock\/","title":{"rendered":"Peter D. Hershock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Peter D. Hershock, East-West Center<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"556\" height=\"786\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-88 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-1.png 556w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Hershock-1-212x300.png 212w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Peter D. Hershock <\/strong>is an intercultural philosopher who makes use of Buddhist conceptual resources to address contemporary issues of global concern, with a focus of emerging technologies. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, and currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, he is an Advisor to AI &amp; Faith, and a founding member of Engaged Buddhists for Responsible AI. He is the author of more than fifty journal articles and book chapters, and the author or editor of more than fifteen books. His most recent books are: <em>Buddhism and Intelligent Technology: Toward a More Humane Future<\/em> (2021) and <em>Consciousness Mattering: A Buddhist Synthesis<\/em> (2023).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-71 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&#8220;Existential Risk or Evolutionary Opportunity? A Buddhist Reflection on AI and Human Freedom&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI is rapidly becoming integral to societies worldwide and is poised to change everything from education and healthcare to politics and the global economy. The positive potentials of this are undeniable, as are the existential risks posed by artificial superintelligence. This talk will bring contemporary evolutionary theory into conversation with Buddhist consciousness theorizing to offer some critically hopeful reflections on turning existential risks into evolutionary opportunities and the improvisational labor that will be needed to align AI with human intentional freedom.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Peter D. Hershock, East-West Center Peter D. Hershock is an intercultural philosopher who makes use of Buddhist conceptual resources to address contemporary issues of global concern, with a focus of emerging technologies. Past Director of the Asian Studies Development Program, and currently Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu, he is an Advisor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":26,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-87","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":78,"date":"2025-10-11T01:28:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T01:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=78"},"modified":"2025-10-13T15:55:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:55:21","slug":"neda-atanasoski","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/neda-atanasoski\/","title":{"rendered":"Neda Atanasoski"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Neda Atanasoski, University of Maryland<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:33% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"748\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Atanasoski-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Atanasoski-1.png 750w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Atanasoski-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Atanasoski-1-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>Neda Atanasoski<\/strong> is Professor and Chair of the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park and Associate Director of Education for the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM). Atanasoski\u2019s interdisciplinary research has focused on feminism and AI, feminist and critical race approaches to science and technology studies, AI and the future of work, militarism, and human rights and humanitarianism. She is the author of <em>Humanitarian Violence: The U.S. Deployment of Diversity<\/em> (2013), co-author of S<em>urrogate Humanity: Race, Robots, and the Politics of Technological Futures<\/em> (2019), and co-editor of <em>Postsocialist Politics and the Ends of Revolution <\/em>(2022) and <em>Technocreep and the Politics of Things Not Seen <\/em>(2025). She serves on the editorial collective of the journal Critical Ethnic Studies, the flagship journal of the Critical Ethnic Studies Association.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-71 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&#8220;Feminist Approaches to AI in the Age of the &#8216;New&#8217; Cold War&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This talk examines seemingly opposed perspectives surrounding Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): its framing as a \u201cNew Manhattan Project\u201d driven by geopolitical competition and fears of annihilation, and its reinterpretation by some as an expansion of the definition of life itself. The presentation argues that both narratives, despite their apparent opposition, are deeply intertwined with and perpetuate gendered, racial capitalist and colonial relations. The talk suggests that the push for AGI, whether for global supremacy or a redefinition of life, obscures ongoing exploitation and reinforces existing power structures, underscoring the need for feminist understandings of life and living.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Neda Atanasoski, University of Maryland Neda Atanasoski is Professor and Chair of the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park and Associate Director of Education for the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM). Atanasoski\u2019s interdisciplinary research has focused on feminism and AI, feminist and critical [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":26,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-78","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/78","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/78\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":58,"date":"2025-10-11T00:38:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T00:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=58"},"modified":"2025-10-13T15:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T15:55:17","slug":"david-j-gunkel-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/david-j-gunkel-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Keynote,David J. Gunkel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Keynote Speaker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">David J. Gunkel, Northern Illinois University<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:29% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"344\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gunkel-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-84 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gunkel-11.png 344w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Gunkel-11-198x300.png 198w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 344px) 100vw, 344px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>David J. Gunkel<\/strong> is an award-winning educator, researcher, and author, specializing in the philosophy of technology with a focus on the moral and legal challenges of artificial intelligence and robots. He is the author of over 90 scholarly articles and has published fourteen books, including<em> The Machine Question: Critical Perspectives on AI, Robots, and Ethics<\/em> (MIT Press 2012), <em>Of Remixology: Ethics and Aesthetics After Remix<\/em> (MIT Press 2016), <em>Robot Rights<\/em> (MIT Press 2018), <em>Person, Thing, Robot: A Moral and Legal Ontology for the 21st Century and Beyond<\/em> (MIT Press 2023) and <em>Communicative AI: A Critical Introduction to Large Language Models<\/em> (Polity 2025). He currently holds the position of Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Communication at Northern Illinois University (USA) and Professor of Applied Ethics at Lazarski University in Warsaw, Poland.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-71 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-1.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&#8220;Person, Thing, Robot&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robots and other kinds of artificial intelligence (AI) are a curious sort of thing. On the one hand, they are designed and manufactured technological artifacts. They are things. Yet, and on the one hand, these things are not quite like other things. They seem to have social presence. They are able to talk and interact with us. And many are designed to mimic or simulate the capabilities and behaviors that are commonly associated with human or animal intelligence. These technologies therefore invite and encourage zoomorphism, anthropomorphism, and even personification. In the book Person, Thing, Robot (MIT Press, 2023), David J. Gunkel sets out to explore and answer the vexing question: What exactly are these things? Rather than try to fit robots and AI into existing moral and legal categories by way of arguing for either their reification or personification, however, Gunkel argues for revolutionary reformulation fo the entire system, developing a new approach to technology ethics and law that can scale to the unique opportunities and challenges of the twenty-first century and beyond.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:43px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keynote Speaker David J. Gunkel, Northern Illinois University David J. Gunkel is an award-winning educator, researcher, and author, specializing in the philosophy of technology with a focus on the moral and legal challenges of artificial intelligence and robots. He is the author of over 90 scholarly articles and has published fourteen books, including The Machine [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":26,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-58","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/58","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/58\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":48,"date":"2025-10-11T00:12:32","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T00:12:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/?page_id=48"},"modified":"2026-04-26T23:03:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T23:03:52","slug":"program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/program\/","title":{"rendered":"26th Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"340\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-13-at-11.49.13-AM-1024x340.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-13-at-11.49.13-AM-1024x340.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-13-at-11.49.13-AM-300x99.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-13-at-11.49.13-AM-768x255.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-13-at-11.49.13-AM.png 1490w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">The 26th McDowell Conference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Butler Board Room, American University<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">October 23rd, 2025<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\" style=\"min-height:289px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"977\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-100 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-3-1024x977.png\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-3-1024x977.png 1024w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-3-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-3-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-10-at-8.46.45-PM-3.png 1046w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#e6eeff\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9:00-9:15 <strong>Arriving<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9:15-9:20 <strong>Opening of the Conference (Jin Y. Park)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9:20-9:35 <strong>Welcoming Remarks (Linda Aldoory, Dean College of Arts and Sciences)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9:45-11:30 Panel I.<strong> Moderated by Farhang Erfani (American University)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Brian Jordan Jefferson<\/strong> (University of Illinois of Urbana-Champaign), &#8220;Political not Technical: Artificial Intelligence &amp; the Genealogical Method&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gordon Hull<\/strong> (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), &#8220;Crash Test Dummies: AI and the Zombie Juridicial Subject&#8221; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Leigh Johnson <\/strong>(American University), &#8220;Delete, Retain, Haunt: The Spectral Ethics of AI Memory&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">11:30-12:50 <strong>Lunch Break<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1:00-2:10 <strong>(12:55-2:10 class)<\/strong> Keynote speech, <strong>moderated by Ian Rhoad (American University)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>David J. Gunkel<\/strong> (Northern Illinois University), &#8220;Person, Thing, Robot&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2:30-3:40 Panel II.<strong> Moderated by Jerome Clarke (American University) <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Peter Hershock<\/strong> (East-West Center), &#8220;Existential Risk or Evolutionary Opportunity? A Buddhist Reflection on AI and Human Freedom&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Neda Atanasoski<\/strong> (University of Maryland, College Park), &#8220;Feminist Approaches to AI in the Age of the &#8216;New&#8217; Cold War&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:5px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4:00-5:00 <strong>Roundtable discussion, moderated by Jin Y. Park (American University)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:116px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"465\" height=\"135\" src=\"http:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-108\" style=\"width:253px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli.png 465w, https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2571\/2025\/10\/Dep.-phil-and-reli-300x87.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 465px) 100vw, 465px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 27th McDowell Conference: Philosophical Questions of AI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Location: Butler Board Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Washington, DC 20016<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Website Manager: Kali Van Nostrand<\/p>\n\n\n<nav class=\"has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-navigation-is-layout-3817c3ed wp-block-navigation-is-layout-flex\" aria-label=\"Navigation 4\" \n\t\t data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-context='{\"overlayOpenedBy\":{\"click\":false,\"hover\":false,\"focus\":false},\"type\":\"overlay\",\"roleAttribute\":\"\",\"ariaLabel\":\"Menu\"}'><button aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Open menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-open\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.openMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 7.5h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><path d=\"M4 15h16v1.5H4z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container\"  id=\"modal-4\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--has-modal-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-class--is-menu-open=\"state.isMenuOpen\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\"\n\t\t\t\ttabindex=\"-1\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-close\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-dialog\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-modal=\"state.ariaModal\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.ariaLabel\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--role=\"state.roleAttribute\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button aria-label=\"Close menu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-close\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.closeMenuOnClick\"\n\t\t\t><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"m13.06 12 6.47-6.47-1.06-1.06L12 10.94 5.53 4.47 4.47 5.53 10.94 12l-6.47 6.47 1.06 1.06L12 13.06l6.47 6.47 1.06-1.06L13.06 12Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-navigation__responsive-container-content\" \n\t\t\t\tdata-wp-watch=\"callbacks.focusFirstElement\"\n\t\t\t id=\"modal-4-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"wp-block-navigation__container has-small-font-size is-responsive items-justified-right wp-block-navigation has-small-font-size\"><ul class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-page-list\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click menu-item-home\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/participants\/\">Participants<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/program\/\">Program<\/a><\/li><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click\"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/\">26th McDowell Conference<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th McDowell Conference submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;submenuOpenedBy&quot;: { &quot;click&quot;: false, &quot;hover&quot;: false, &quot;focus&quot;: false }, &quot;type&quot;: &quot;submenu&quot;, &quot;modal&quot;: null, &quot;previousFocus&quot;: null }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/navigation\" data-wp-on--focusout=\"actions.handleMenuFocusout\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleMenuKeydown\" data-wp-on--mouseenter=\"actions.openMenuOnHover\" data-wp-on--mouseleave=\"actions.closeMenuOnHover\" data-wp-watch=\"callbacks.initMenu\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item has-child wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/\">26th Participants<\/a><button data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isMenuOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggleMenuOnClick\" aria-label=\"26th Participants submenu\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-icon wp-block-navigation-submenu__toggle\" ><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" fill=\"none\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M1.50002 4L6.00002 8L10.5 4\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><ul data-wp-on--focus=\"actions.openMenuOnFocus\" class=\"wp-block-navigation__submenu-container\"><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/david-j-gunkel-2\/\">Keynote,David J. Gunkel<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/neda-atanasoski\/\">Neda Atanasoski<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/peter-d-hershock\/\">Peter D. Hershock<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/gordon-hull\/\">Gordon Hull<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/brian-jordan-jefferson\/\">Brian Jordan Jefferson<\/a><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/participants\/leigh-johnson\/\">Leigh Johnson<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item wp-block-navigation-item open-on-hover-click \"><a class=\"wp-block-pages-list__item__link wp-block-navigation-item__content\" href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/26th-mcdowell-conference\/program\/\">26th Program<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/nav>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background-color\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-91a691eb wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-256aec57 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> Proudly powered by <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\">WordPress<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 26th McDowell Conference Butler Board Room, American University October 23rd, 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4444,"featured_media":0,"parent":129,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-full-notitle.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-48","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4444"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/mcdowellconference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]