49th ABS Annual Conference

This session is for researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and professionals working in psychology.

This disciplinary stream is meant to bring together all scholars who study human behavior using methodological approaches that allow for causal inference. This encompasses lab and field experiments and randomized control trials (RCT) and may also include those who use propensity-score matching, difference-in-difference, and similar methods to explore causality. Scholars in experimental psychology, behavioral economics, organizational behavior and management, public health, and other fields may find this relevant to their work. Together we will discuss (1) the ethics of experimentation, (2) power and empowerment in the generation of knowledge, and (3) open-science approaches, collaboration, and consultation. The session will be three hours long and will require some preliminary reading.

This session is for researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and professionals working in biology. Participants must be primarily engaged in the field of biology as students (undergraduate or graduate), academics (including postdocs), professionals, or those retired from careers in the biological sciences. This discipline stream is not intended for health professionals or others outside the field of biology.

The Universal House of Justice has called for the creation of special spaces "for individuals from similar disciplines to interact at the annual [ABS] conference…to encourage them to attempt to explore thought in their field or profession in light of the Teachings". To this end, we are delighted to announce the formation of a new Disciplinary Stream for Biology, to be launched with an inaugural session at the 49th Annual ABS Conference. This session, which will be 3 hours in duration and require preliminary reading of material to be provided in advance, aims to bring together Bahá’í biologists to form an ongoing interest group focused on various aspects of biology, including its history, philosophy, current issues, and career strategies, all in the context of Bahá’í perspectives, in particular the principle of the harmony of science and religion. The meeting will feature introductions, discussions, and the formulation of a continuing action plan, including the establishment of an ongoing reading & discussion group with regular online gatherings. The goal is to foster a collaborative and supportive community of Bahá’í biologists.

Registered participants will be sent introductory material related to the topics of history of biology, philosophy of biology, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to Dr. Auguste Forel to prepare for the inaugural meeting. Participants will be informed to prepare concerns or issues in their immediate field of research or future research concerning harmony between science and religion. They can share these points of concern during the introduction session, which will become the topic of consultation at a later session.

This session is for researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and professionals working in the fields of sociology and anthropology.
In this session, we explore some of the philosophical foundations underpinning sociology and anthropology and how they correlate with various insights from the Writings of the Faith. Key issues associated with this theme include the relationship between objectivism and relativism, the path of modernity and the role of reason and spirituality in advancing civilization, and the impact of the natural sciences on the methods of the social sciences. Taking into account the dynamic relationships between the individual, the community, and the institutions and the need to contribute to “a new conception of each [of these three protagonists], appropriate for a humanity that has come of age” (The Universal House of Justice, 28 December 2010), this session examines questions such as: How can we advance our capacity to read reality as social scientists? What forms of reasoning are most conducive to such investigations? What assumptions – such as those concerning human nature, power, and gender roles – should inform the research process? In what ways does the harmony of science and religion influence our posture as social scientists? And, how might we strengthen collective efforts within academic disciplines to address societal challenges and cultivate dialogue that promotes the betterment of the world?