By “pluralism” I mean: 1)Societies and meanings as webs of tensions and ambiguities; 2)There are many and some incommensurable understandings of life and the past; 3)Political and legal processes are multilayered, and can be described as “federal”; 4) Pragmatic processes to maintain peace and justice (the creation of “middle grounds”),are important; 5)The time/place under discussion develops from many sources and experiences, and therefore is syncretistic. Example: was early Christianity Hellenized or was Hellenization, Christrianized?; 6)Identities are often multiple and hybrid; 7)Methodology can include: non-Western views of knowledge; “neutral” cross-cultural comparisons and the contextual development of religions and world-views etc.; and 8)The goals should include a respectful, empathetic conversion of mankind, and its history.

Beyond the usual monograph, the paper should be placed in the context of World History and possibly of interest to, and useful to teachers of World History, maybe with a Handout-addendum for teachers.

Please let me if you would like to participate in one or both conferences, or would like more information on the nature of the panels.