Programme


Conference Outline

Monday, March 25, 2024Tuesday, March 26Wednesday, March 27Thursday, March 28Friday, March 29

Location: Toshi Center Hotel

10:00-11:00: Conference Check-in & Coffee | Subaru Room (5F)

11:00-11:05: Announcements | Orion Hall (5F)

11:05-11:30: Welcome Address & Recognition of IAFOR Scholarship Winners | Orion Hall (5F)
Joseph Haldane, The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan

11:30-12:15: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
Healing the Scars of War: Teaching for Peace through Higher Education in Divided and Conflict-Affected Contexts
Kevin Kester, Seoul National University, South Korea

12:15-12:30: Conference Photograph | Orion Hall (5F)

12:30-13:45: Lunch Break

13:45-14:30: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
Dealing with the New as We Get Old: AI, Aging, and Ethical Issues
Keith Miller, University of Missouri-St. Louis, United States

14:30-15:00: Extended Coffee Break | Subaru Room (5F)

15:00-16:00: Conference Poster Session 1 | Orion Hall (5F)

16:00-17:00: Welcome Reception | Orion Hall (5F)

19:00-21:00: Conference Dinner | Shunju Tameikesanno
This is a ticketed event

Location: Toshi Center Hotel

09:15-09:45: Conference Check-in & Coffee | Subaru Room (5F)

09:45-10:00: Announcements & Welcome Address | Orion Hall (5F)

10:00-10:45: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
On People and Ageing: Opportunities in an Overlooked and Misunderstood Market Segment
Adela Balderas Cejudo, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

10:45-11:15: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
Japan as a Role Model for Ultra-Aging Societies: Innovation and Sustainability in Universal Access Healthcare
Robert E. Claar, HekaBio, Japan

11:15-11:45: Featured Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
Getting Old, Staying Young? Studying Older Adults’ Well-Being
Miriam Sang-Ah Park, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom

11:45-13:00: Lunch Break

13:00-13:30: Featured Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
Transforming Mental Healthcare While Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
Bhanu Ranjan, SP Jain School of Global Management, Singapore

13:30-14:00: Keynote Presentation | Orion Hall (5F)
Critical Review on Changing Characteristics of Japan’s Development Assistance and Some Responses of Civil Society
Kiyotaka Takahashi, Keisen University, Japan

14:00-15:00: Moderated Panel Discussion | Orion Hall (5F)
Panel Series: Communication and Education for Peace
Brendan Howe, Ewha Womans University, South Korea
Dexter Da Silva, Keisen University, Japan
Moderated by: Joseph Haldane, IAFOR, Japan

15:00-15:30: Extended Coffee Break

15:30-16:30: Conference Poster Session 2 | Orion Hall (5F)

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel

08:30-09:15: Conference Check-in & Coffee | 6F

09:15-10:55: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 603: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 604: AGen | Frailty
Room 605: ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 607: ACP | Mental Health & Professions
Room 608: ACEID | Education & Contemporary Development Issues
Room 609: ACEID | Education & Differences: Counselling, Guidance, and Adjustment in Education
Room 702: ACEID | Teaching Experiences & Languages Education
Room 707: ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 708: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis

10:55-11:10: Coffee Break

11:10-12:50: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 603: AGen | Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary Research
Room 604: AGen | Public Policy
Room 605: ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 607: ACP | Mental Health and Industrial Organization
Room 608: ACEID | Education & Contemporary Development Issues
Room 609: ACEID | Curriculum Design & Professional Development
Room 702: ACEID | Education, Sustainability & Social Development
Room 707: ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 708: ACEID | International Education

12:50-13:05: Coffee Break

13:05-14:20: Onsite Parallel Session 3
Room 603: AGen | Resources for Gerontological Research, Training & Education (Workshop)
Room 604: ACEID | Best Practices of Instructional Language (Workshop)
Room 605: ACP | Bridging the Gap Between Immigrants and Their Families (Panel)
Room 607: ACP | Psychology, Mental Health, and Social Media
Room 608: ACEID | Empowering Educators (Workshop)
Room 609: ACEID | Voice Care for Educators and Public Speakers (Workshop)
Room 702: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis (Workshop)
Room 707: ACEID | Challenging & Preserving: Culture, Inter/Multiculturalism & Language
Room 708: ACEID | School Funding Strategies (Workshop)

14:20-14:35: Coffee Break

14:35-16:15: Onsite Parallel Session 4
Room 603: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 604: AGen | Lifespan Health Promotion
Room 605: ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 607: ACP | Mental Health
Room 608: ACEID | Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Education
Room 609: ACEID | Language Development & Literacy
Room 702: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room 707: ACEID | Language Education in Multilingual and Multicultural Context
Room 708: ACEID | Curriculum Design & Development

16:30-18:10: Coffee Break

16:30-18:10: Onsite Parallel Session 5
Room 603: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 604: AGen | Built Environment
Room 605: ACP | Mental Health, Psychology & Education
Room 607: ACP | Psychology, Mental & Physical Health
Room 608: ACEID | Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Education
Room 609: ACEID | Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 702: ACEID | Higher Education
Room 707: ACEID | Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 708: ACEID | Curriculum Design & Development

Conference Venue: Toshi Center Hotel

08:30-09:15 Conference Check-in & Coffee | 6F

09:15-10:55: Onsite Parallel Session 1
Room 603: ACEID | Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration
Room 604: ACP | Psychology, Mental Health & COVID-19
Room 605: ACP | General Psychology
Room 607: ACP | Mental Health & Behavioural Science
Room 608: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 609: ACP | Psychology, Mental Health & Technology
Room 702: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room 704: ACEID | Innovation & Technology
Room 707: ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 708: ACEID | Professional Development in Higher Education

10:55-11:10: Coffee Break

11:10-12:50: Onsite Parallel Session 2
Room 603: ACEID | Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration
Room 604: ACP | Psychology & Behavioural Science
Room 605: ACP | Mental Health & Community Development
Room 607: ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 608: AGen | Loneliness
Room 609: ACP | Psychology, Mental Health & Physical Well-Being
Room 702: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room 704: ACEID | Innovation & Technology
Room 707: ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 708: ACEID | Higher Education

12:50-13:05: Coffee Break

13:05-14:45: Onsite Parallel Session 3
Room 603: ACEID | Education Policy & Education Development
Room 604: ACP | Psychology & Behavioural Science
Room 605: ACP | Mental Health & Therapy
Room 607: ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 608: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 609: ACP | Psychology & Self-Consciousness
Room 702: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room 704: ACEID | Innovative Technologies in Education
Room 707: ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room 708: ACEID | Lifelong Learning & Resiliency in Education

14:45-15:00: Coffee Break

15:00-16:40: Onsite Parallel Session 4
Room 603: ACEID | Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration
Room 604: ACP | Interdisciplinary Research, Psychology & Mental Health
Room 605: ACEID | Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Room 607: ACP | Psychology and Education
Room 608: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 609: AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room 702: ACEID | Primary & Secondary Education
Room 704: ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Innovation & Technology
Room 707: ACEID | Education & Society
Room 708: ACEID | Professional Development & Concerns in Education

Conference Venue: Online via Zoom

07:55-08:00: Message from IAFOR

08:00-08:45: Keynote Presentation
Filial Piety and its Discontents Variation in Evaluating Adult Children as “Filial” by Older Parents in Rural China
Merril Silverstein, Syracuse University, United States

08:45-09:00: Break

09:00-10:40: Online Parallel Session 1
Room A (Live-Stream): ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room B (Live-Stream): ACEID | Design, Implementation & Assessment of Innovative Technologies in Education
Room C (Live-Stream): ACEID | Professional Training, Development & Concerns in Education
Room D (Live-Stream): AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room E (Live-Stream): ACP | Industrial Organization and Organization Theory

10:40-10:50: Break

10:50-12:30: Online Parallel Session 2
Room A (Live-Stream): ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room B (Live-Stream): ACEID | Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics
Room C (Live-Stream): ACEID | Teaching Experiences, Pedagogy, Practice & Praxis
Room D (Live-Stream): AGen | Aging and Gerontology
Room E (Live-Stream): ACP | Psychology, Mental Health & Behavioral Science

12:30-12:40: Break

12:40-14:20: Online Parallel Session 3
Room A (Live-Stream): ACEID | Primary & Secondary Education
Room B (Live-Stream): ACEID | International Education
Room C (Live-Stream): ACEID | Higher Education
Room D (Live-Stream): ACP | Aging and Gerontology
Room E (Live-Stream): ACP | Psychology and Education

14:20-14:30: Break

14:30-16:10 Online Parallel Session 4
Room A (Live-Stream): ACEID | Learning Experiences, Student Learning & Learner Diversity
Room B (Live-Stream): ACEID | Education & Difference: Special Education
Room C (Live-Stream): ACEID | Higher Education
Room D (Live-Stream): ACP | Qualitative/Quantitative Research in any other area of Psychology
Room E (Live-Stream): ACP | Psychology and Education

16:25-16:30: Message from IAFOR

*Please be aware that the above schedule may be subject to change.


Conference Programme & Abstract Book

The online version of the Conference Programme & Abstract Book is now available for download. It contains access information, session information and a detailed day-to-day presentation schedule.

The Conference Programme can also be viewed on the Issuu website (requires a web browser). An Issuu app is available for Android users.

*Please be aware that the above schedule may be subject to change.


Featured Presentations

  • Healing the Scars of War: Teaching for Peace through Higher Education in Divided and Conflict-Affected Contexts
    Healing the Scars of War: Teaching for Peace through Higher Education in Divided and Conflict-Affected Contexts
    Keynote Presentation: Kevin Kester
  • Dealing with the New as We Get Old: AI, Aging, and Ethical Issues
    Dealing with the New as We Get Old: AI, Aging, and Ethical Issues
    Keynote Presentation: Keith W. Miller
  • On People and Ageing: Opportunities in an Overlooked and Misunderstood Market Segment
    On People and Ageing: Opportunities in an Overlooked and Misunderstood Market Segment
    Keynote Presentation: Adela Balderas Cejudo
  • Japan as a Role Model for Ultra-Aging Societies: Innovation and Sustainability in Universal Access Healthcare
    Japan as a Role Model for Ultra-Aging Societies: Innovation and Sustainability in Universal Access Healthcare
    Keynote Presentation: Robert E. Claar
  • Getting Old, Staying Young? Studying Older Adults’ Well-being
    Getting Old, Staying Young? Studying Older Adults’ Well-being
    Featured Presentation: Miriam Sang-Ah Park
  • Transforming Mental Healthcare While Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
    Transforming Mental Healthcare While Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
    Featured Presentation: Bhanu Ranjan
  • Critical Review on Changing Characteristics of Japan’s Development Assistance and Some Responses of Civil Society
    Critical Review on Changing Characteristics of Japan’s Development Assistance and Some Responses of Civil Society
    Featured Presentation: Kiyotaka Takahashi
  • Panel Series: Communication and Education for Peace
    Panel Series: Communication and Education for Peace
    Panel Presentation: Brendan Howe, Dexter Da Silva
  • Filial Piety and its Discontents Variation in Evaluating Adult Children as “Filial” by Older Parents in Rural China
    Filial Piety and its Discontents Variation in Evaluating Adult Children as “Filial” by Older Parents in Rural China
    Keynote Presentation: Merril Silverstein

Virtual Presentations


Important Information Emails

All registered attendees will receive an Important Information email and updates in the run-up to the conference. Please check your email inbox for something from "iafor.org". If you can not find these emails in your normal inbox, it is worth checking in your spam or junk mail folders as many programs filter out emails this way. If these did end up in one of these folders, please add the address to your acceptable senders' folder by whatever method your email program can do this.


Previous Programming

View details of programming for past AGen conferences via the links below.

Healing the Scars of War: Teaching for Peace through Higher Education in Divided and Conflict-Affected Contexts
Keynote Presentation: Kevin Kester

Given the growing importance of higher education within the international community in its efforts to achieve the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this presentation examines the potentiality for higher education to contribute to peacebuilding in divided and conflict-affected settings. For more than a decade, the international community has explicitly stated that the achievement of global development goals is dependent on addressing access to quality education in conflict-affected contexts; and, in 2015, the SDGs extended this to higher education. However, in settings affected by conflict, higher education is often perceived to be a luxury, not a necessity. Recent research has indicated the positive role of higher education to contribute to post-conflict recovery, reconciliation, the promotion of democracy, and preservation of local culture, but little is known about how university educators themselves teach for peace and reconciliation through higher education in settings affected by conflict. In light of this lacuna, this presentation explores higher education pedagogies and policies for peace with university educators in four divided and conflict-affected contexts: China/Taiwan, Cyprus, Korea, and Somalia. Data was collected through extensive fieldwork, document analysis, and interviews with 34 faculty. Inductive thematic analysis generated four themes (community, complexity, criticality, and change) that were then further analysed through the lenses of cultural political economy of education and borderlands. Findings reveal contested interpretations of peace across cultures and educational settings, as well as creative and resilient approaches to teaching for peace and reconciliation in divided and conflict-affected contexts. Learning from cross-cutting themes within and across these locales is valuable for faculty in each of the settings as well as those faculty and policymakers elsewhere who promote peace through higher education in other divided and conflict-affected regions.

Read presenter's biography
Dealing with the New as We Get Old: AI, Aging, and Ethical Issues
Keynote Presentation: Keith W. Miller

Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from relative obscurity to its current place in a blinding spotlight. There is currently enormous public and scientific interest in AI, and consequently, an explosion of interest in AI ethics. This talk focuses on one set of AI applications: those that are designed for the elderly. We will look both at the technical advances being used in these projects, as well as approaches to intelligently discuss the ethical challenges of these projects. During the presentation, attendees will be challenged to make ethically-charged decisions about two fictional cases where aging, AI, and ethics intertwine.

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On People and Ageing: Opportunities in an Overlooked and Misunderstood Market Segment
Keynote Presentation: Adela Balderas Cejudo

The world population is ageing. Population ageing—the increasing proportion of older individuals in the population—is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century, with implications for nearly all sectors of society (UN, 2015). The World Population Prospects (2022) report reveals that the population aged 65 and above is growing at a faster rate than their younger counterparts. This demographic shift is projected to elevate the global proportion of individuals aged 65 and above from 10 percent in 2022 to 16 percent in 2050.

This demographic transition has given rise to a substantial and expanding segment of the population, often referred to as the “overlooked demographic”. Their unmet needs are a direct result of this demographic change. Understanding the economic advantages of the silver economy is essential, as is gaining insight into the behaviour of older individuals that goes beyond clichés, labels, biases, and preconceptions.

An increasing number of developed countries now recognise older individuals as a priority market, acknowledging the changing global population and the growing participation of older individuals in various activities. However, despite their significance, older individuals remain relatively unknown and under-marketed.

Ageing presents a significant challenge for decision-makers in fields ranging from politics and technology to marketing and service industries. Companies must strive to fully understand what older consumers want and are willing to pay for in an era marked by rapidly evolving consumer profiles and behaviours. This involves comprehending new consumption patterns, reevaluating the services they offer, adapting to the shifting needs of older individuals, and proactively addressing the changes and challenges.

This lecture serves a dual purpose: firstly, to explore this vital yet often overlooked demographic and secondly, to shed light on the changing behaviour of older individuals regarding essential aspects for businesses. The insights gained, along with their practical implications, can assist researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, and marketers in better understanding and meeting the evolving needs and expectations of older consumers as the population continues to age.

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Japan as a Role Model for Ultra-Aging Societies: Innovation and Sustainability in Universal Access Healthcare
Keynote Presentation: Robert E. Claar

Japan’s healthcare system enables universal – and frequent – access to medical services, which is one of the reasons for Japan’s top performance in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy among G20 nations. However, Japan’s aging population and declining working population means the tax base will become insufficient to support such a standard within universal access healthcare within the next two decades without new policies and improved efficiencies.

The government is eyeing certain methods of supplementation such as increasing Japan’s workforce to remedy this, making it easier for foreign workers to receive working visas and contribute to social services. Immigration is on the rise, but more is needed, not only to bolster the working population and tax base, but also to grow the number of workers involved in medical and nursing care services required by the aging population.

Healthcare innovations with the potential to drive cost savings are needed, but there is a growing number of novel technologies available in the United States and Europe that have yet to be approved in Japan. The Japanese government has made great progress in lowering regulatory hurdles, although these improvements are not yet well understood. Many innovators are not coming to Japan due to this outdated understanding of regulatory challenges and uncertainty around pricing.

By enhancing pricing transparency, supporting innovations that bring long-term health economic benefit, continuing to lower regulatory hurdles, and further supporting immigration growth, Japan has the opportunity to lead the developed world in demonstrating sustainability of single-payer universal healthcare in an ultra-aging society.

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Getting Old, Staying Young? Studying Older Adults’ Well-being
Featured Presentation: Miriam Sang-Ah Park

The global population is ageing rapidly, with many countries seeing a marked increase in the percentage of the population reaching over age 60. This important demographic change and trend has implications that deserve much-needed attention from researchers and stakeholders alike. Firstly, ‘old’ is no longer so old and the ageing process and experience are no longer all negative. This means we need to ‘update’ our perceptions and research focus to take account of older adults’ lifestyles today and investigate what it means for them to age well and positively. Secondly, we also need to be receptive to their personal stories and lived experiences, which can count towards measurements and interventions associated with positive ageing. In this session, a research programme exploring the psychological well-being of older adults and what it means to age positively will be presented, along with some considerations for how both ageing and positive ageing may be culturally constructed. As it centres around the conceptualisation of positive ageing, the aim of this talk is to shift research focus onto the social and psychological aspects of ageing (well) rather than the more traditional biomedical models of ageing.

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Transforming Mental Healthcare While Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
Featured Presentation: Bhanu Ranjan

The prevalence of mental health disorders worldwide poses a significant and pressing concern, affecting the quality of life and life expectancy of a substantial portion of the global population. This research endeavours to investigate the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies in addressing the complex challenges within the realm of mental health. It aims to navigate barriers associated with cost-efficiency, accessibility, and product development. The objective of this study is to formulate a strategic framework enabling mental health solution providers to reduce costs while accommodating the diverse needs and preferences of individuals.

Employing a qualitative research design, this study seeks to comprehensively explore the multifaceted dimensions of the research problem. It intends to substantiate the relationship between AI technology and connectivity in the context of mental health through rigorous investigation. Focused group discussions will be conducted to gauge public sentiment and perceptions regarding the utilisation of AI technology in mental healthcare. Additionally, an analysis of claims data, if available, will offer insights into various aspects such as the number of claims, patient visits and expenditure from both patients and insurers.

The anticipated outcome of this research is to provide empirical evidence demonstrating the impact of AI integration on mental health solutions. It aims to furnish actionable guidance for businesses within the mental health sector to curtail costs and cater to the diverse needs of individuals. Furthermore, it aspires to yield a nuanced understanding of public attitudes, concerns and willingness to embrace AI-based solutions in mental healthcare.

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Critical Review on Changing Characteristics of Japan’s Development Assistance and Some Responses of Civil Society
Featured Presentation: Kiyotaka Takahashi

This paper critically examines the transformation of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), highlighting strategic shifts towards fostering stronger security cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. Last year, the Japanese government also introduced a new cooperation framework distinct from ODA, aimed at benefiting the armed forces and related organisations of developing countries in terms of security cooperation, called the Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework. With this new framework, the government has already provided some defence equipment such as coastal surveillance radars and patrol boats to improve the security capabilities of Bangladesh and the Philippines. Against this major and drastic shift within Japan’s history of government assistance, most civil society organisations in Japan have responded and advocated to maintain the “non-war” principle of Japan’s ODA and instead empower non-military-based approaches to security such as human security. However, looking into the details of their discussion, there are various positions of understanding about the significance of military approaches, particularly reflecting the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and even the new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The paper discusses, in these uncertain and complex contexts, what educational advancements civil society needs to foster - that are responsive to the evolving needs of global communities in the 21st century.

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Panel Series: Communication and Education for Peace
Panel Presentation: Brendan Howe, Dexter Da Silva

The modern globalised world offers extraordinary examples of cooperation between countries, and as they are progressively enhanced by technologies, major international initiatives help us advance common goals in the pursuit of a sustainable future, in the understanding that global issues such as climate change, energy security, pandemics, and mass migration, by definition are not and cannot be dealt with by one country alone.

However there is also much to be concerned about, as populism, nationalism, and authoritarianism are not only prevalent in autocratic regimes, but at the heart of democracies. Resulting governments emphasise competition and grievance with their neighbours, international institutions, and their authority is undermined, and diplomacy takes a back seat to force. Competing narratives are increasingly without nuance, and people/arguments from the other side/team/country are caricatured, misrepresented, and even dehumanised.

In this panel, we will specifically discuss current global crises and human security through the lens of psychology and institutions. The main question around how to overcome global crises will attempt to uncover a deeper psychological crisis that permeates societies, and ask whether institutions have failed us, considering the workings of psychological manipulation in our everyday life. This panel is part of a series of plenary panels that draws on members of the IAFOR network from different national, cultural, and disciplinary backgrounds, who will address the importance of cooperative engagement, through individuals and institutions, ultimately posing the question of what can be done to encourage more constructive global dialogue, and how this can be nurtured in ourselves.


Psychology and Human Insecurity

Brendan Howe, Ehwa Woman's University, South Korea

Socio-political psychology and human insecurity are linked through the processes of othering and securitisation. The discriminatory treatment of the "other" outgroup (minorities, refugees, political opponents) undermines their human security, whereby they are seen as not being entitled to similar rights, benefits, or treatment, or may even be seen as in direct competition with the ingroup for perceived limited resources. These socio-political conditions are then further exacerbated by securitisation whereby the nature of the other and their identity is first politicised, and then socially constructed by an unscrupulous political entrepreneur as a threat to the security of the referent subject (nation, way of life, regime, religion, race, generation, etc.). At the international level, these processes undermine international cooperation, perhaps dealing a fatal blow to human security-related multilateral regimes such as climate change, disaster relief, humanitarian intervention, and food security. Such trends have become more apparent with the rise of illiberal populism, and pose a direct threat to rights-based governance. On the other hand, we have seen something of a countering force of pro-rights and solidarist populism within the East Asian region. Education and information would seem to be key to addressing these challenges, but the spread of disinformation is an ever-present threat.


Is Psychology in Crisis?

Dexter Da Silva, Keisen University, Japan

Important issues, referred to as crises, in society today have taken the forefront in political as well as academic debates. Crises such as the climate crisis, the refugee crisis, debt crisis, cost-of-living crisis, or the food security crisis, have sparked protests all over the world and are severely undermining human security. Merz et al (2023) observe the birth of an additional crisis, “The Human Behavioural Crisis'', which drives “ecological overshoot”. A critical part of this crisis is what they call “behavioural manipulation” by the marketing, media, and entertainment industries. Considering that the common definition of the field of psychology is “the study of human behaviour and the mind”, and that common goals of psychology include understanding, explaining, and predicting behaviour, and applying this knowledge to improve individuals' well-being, it seems natural to suggest that perhaps the field of Psychology itself is in a crisis. Merz et al (2023) call for increased interdisciplinary collaboration in order to address ecological overshoot which is integrally linked to the above crises.

Read presenters' biographies
Filial Piety and its Discontents Variation in Evaluating Adult Children as “Filial” by Older Parents in Rural China
Keynote Presentation: Merril Silverstein

Filial piety—the Confucian dictate that children should provide care, support, respect, and obedience to their older parents—is a fundamental, normative expectation in East Asian societies. In this presentation, I examine variation in perceptions of filial piety of adult children by their older parents in rural China, focusing on the impact of co-residence and migration status and the compensatory behaviours of more distant children that mitigate assessments of them as less than “filial”. The data source is the 2021 wave of the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China, which includes 1,489 parents aged 60 and older and their relationships with 3,934 adult children. Parents provided information about each child in terms of demographic characteristics, intergenerational exchanges, and the degree to which the child is perceived as being “filial”. Results affirm the importance of instrumental support and particularly monetary support in enhancing assessments of filial piety of more distant children relative to co-resident children. Parents with stronger normative expectations held their more distant children to a higher standard for being filial. Finally, functional impairment caused more distant children to be evaluated as less filial, ostensibly because those children were in a weaker position to respond to their parent’s elevated support needs. Overall, the results speak to the adaptable nature of filial piety when family change and migration put pressure on younger generations, which, in highly dynamic rural China, is causing concern about the viability of intergenerational support for older parents.

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