Instructor - culturesmith

I continue to present and develop the research begun with my dissertation, The Myth of Peace: A Culture of Peacemaking, The Process Arts, and The Emergence of a Global Communitarian Mythology, as well as enjoy the writing and teaching that are central to my vocation. I value an atmosphere which encourages learning and the practice of inquiry, a collegiate setting which both sharpens students' thinking and nourishes the soul's expression. As a result, I continue to travel and remain open to opportunities for adjunct work and terms as a visiting lecturer. While engagement with concrete projects anyone may recognize as valuable is essential to my work, the ordered environment of the classroom and training space are also of central importance. I am well prepared to teach undergraduate literature and psychology, as well as provide classes in approaches to peace and conflict, mythology, the history of ideas, cultural studies and critique, and the philosophy of religion.

Bw2010profile_bw-medium-12727

Brandon WilliamsCraig Ph.D.

Berkeley, CA

(510) 962-3921 Skype bdwilliamscraig
brandon at culturesmith dot com


I am seeking professional academic employment at this time which leverages my extensive background both in classroom teaching and deploying online resources for learning and community building. I am happy to teach undergraduates, survey courses, and take on administrative tasks. The materials which follow give an idea of my primary areas of expertise and interest.

 

Assistant Professor and Adjunct

Areas of Expertise and Research Emphasis

  • Comparative-Critical Studies in Religion, Mythology, Psychology, and Culture
  • Origination and Development of the Process Arts concept
  • Peace and Conflict Facilitation
  • Peace Environment Community Building
  • Violence in Communication, Organization, Governance, and Culture
  • Religion, Nationalism, and Terror
  • Contemporary Social Movements based on Inclusivity & Communitarianism
  • Interdisciplinarity of the Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
  • American Mythologies of Justice, Democracy, and the Politics of Economic Development
  • World Citizenship and Globalization

Courses Prepared

Syllabi available upon request

Community: The Myth of Peace

The Mythology of Dreaming
Literature and the Epic Imagination
Greek and Roman Mythology
Introduction to African & Diaspora Mythologies
Native Myths of the Americas
Jungian and Post-Jungian Psychologies
Archetypal Psychology
Introduction to Asian Religious Traditions
European Sacred Traditions
Literature and Mythopoetic Expression
Literary Images in Myth
Organizational Decision-making and the Process Arts
Group Facilitation in Professional Contexts
Group Facilitation Lab
Aikido and Nonviolent Approaches to Conflict
Martial Nonviolence Lab

Archetypal Images of Peace and Conflict

Joseph Campbell and Cultural Mythologies
Literature, Psyche, and Nature
Archetypes in Cinema
Cultural Myth: Underworld
Monotheistic Traditions
Islamic Traditions
Contemporary Ideas of God
Depth Psychology and New Technology
Hunting & Agricultural Mythologies
Approaches to Religiously Studies
Huston Smith and the Idea of World Religion
World Citizenship, Community, and the Redefiniton of Peace
Introduction to the Development of Organizations
Manufacturing Industrialism and the Myth of Progress



Recent Courses Offered

Format Title or Content

Details

 

Community Series
Tales of Wonder and the Myth of Peace
Lectures, readings, and forum offered collaboratively with Huston Smith
Ongoing Public Classes
 
Free Aiki
 
Aikido and Martial Nonviolence Dojo in Berkeley CA
 
Workshop Training Martial Nonviolence Epworth UMC community activism intensive
 
Ongoing Classes Basic & Advanced Aikido for Adults - continuing
Children's Aikido Program - 2yrs
 
Instructor - Aikido of Berkeley
Facilitated Process Process Arts Orientation Nexus for Change Conference 2007
Classroom Lecture and demonstration
 
Scriptural Violence and Conflict Metaphors
 
Epworth UMC community education
 
 
Workshop Training Community Building Facilitator Training
 
FCE model
 
Weekly Class
 
The Body In Conflict
 
Moving On Center out-of-term curriculum
 
Weekly Class
 
Beginning Aikido for 3-6 year olds
Aikido for Children 6-12 years of age
Aikido of San Leandro
Aikido of Berkeley
Visiting lecturer/facilitator
 
Consequences of Ideas:
Narrative Navigation in Religious Study
Kessler Park UMC
 


EDUCATION

M.A. and Ph.D. Pacifica Graduate Institute, Mythology Studies & Depth Psychology

B.A.  University of Dallas, Liberal Arts – Department of Theater

Jesuit College Prep High School, outstanding freshman debate gavel, merit scholarships and performance Awards, honor roll

Dallas Theater Center - internationally renowned Actors Equity Regional Theater Company

Montessori child, born and raised

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Administrative and Teaching Appointments

Free Aiki Dojo and Golden Bears Aikido at UC Berkeley

Dojo cho (Founder - Chief instructor), 2009 to present

  • Traditional Aikido martial arts curriculum
  • Original curriculum delivery - Martial Nonviolence® training for bodymind conflict facilitation
  • Public teaching three mornings a week with private lessons, demonstrations, and tutorials
 

Association Building Community (ABCglobal) 501(c)3

President, 2001- present

Executive Director, 2001-2004

Co-founder 1999

Co-Director, Guardians of Peace

Past Director, Saving Sounds program

 

  • Facilitation of an intentional, distributed community dedicated to teaching and practicing the Process Arts (the field of group process study, design, and facilitation) and opening doors for local community initiatives. Facilitation of over ten years of circles and meetings, from founding through incorporation, inclusion and leave-taking of members, life transitions (births, weddings, deaths), three offices in Oakland, San Leandro, and Berkeley - over 1500 hours
  • Co-facilitation of weekly public co-creative space in our office in downtown Oakland - over 60 hours
  • Co-created community building facilitator training for 10-20 participants in a remote location
  • Co-facilitation of Dedicated Weekly Group - over 100 hours
  • Co-facilitation of monthly community building circle - over 300 hours
  • Co-facilitation of creative alliance groups with other organizations including Artship, Citizen Deliberative Councils, more
  • Community mediations for ABC members - over 100 hours
  • Professional mediation between associated members and external entities as a substitute for legal proceedings - over 100 hours
  • Development and implementation of the plan and vision of the Council (Board) with strong cooperative leadership
  • Created and maintained all web design and IT infrastructure, wifi and PC network, email listserves and groups, online presence through Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tribe, LiveJournal, WiseEarth, etc.
  • Project planning, facilitation, and presentation services donated to local non-profits: First United Methodist San Leandro, St. Paschal Baylon Church, San Leandro Unified School District, among others
 

Aiki Extensions Inc. (AE) 501(c)

AE contracted ABC so that I might create an AE administration and the position of Executive Director       2008

 
  • Direction of an international network dedicated to understanding the learning and teaching of martial arts as peace practices and extending the "arts of peace" metaphor 
    • beyond the training environment in the form of process arts and
    • into concrete projects to benefit those most vulnerable and in need in African and South America
  • Co-creation and implementation of the Strategic Plan and vision of the Board with strong cooperative leadership
  • A clear overview of all projects with a compassionate dedication to meeting deadlines
  • Develop and monitor budgets, projections & balances, support for audit, monitor all bank activity, evaluate opportunities, and participate in the creation of all proposals
  • Oversight & maintenance of databases, support of initiatives, campaigns, and events
  • Generating and monitoring publicity content, advertising, production, and distribution
  • Member education
  • Negotiates agreements with umbrella organizations, monitors project performance, and oversees maintenance of records
  • Documenting organizational history and reinforcing institutional memory through auto-critical processes
  • Remote location leadership, teaching, and team direction
 

Moving On Center School for Participatory Arts and Research (MOC) 501(c)3

Director of Administration       2000-2003

 
  • International program with worldwide in-house and associate (contract) faculty
  • Coordinated all operations under the supervision of Co-directors in Oakland, CA and New York, NY
  • Managed all office functions, daily financial tracking and coordinating budget development with Treasurer and bookkeeper, student records and recruitment
  • All facility I.T. infrastructure and web design, communications, purchasing
  • Executive Assistant to Executive Director
  • Event planning and coordination
  • Liaison to facility and residents council, mediation and dispute facilitation,
  • Employee hiring, management, firing process, and all Human Resources functions including payroll and tax reporting, institution insurance, more...

Original Methodologies (trademark):

  • Associative Inquiry - AsIn®

  • Healing Friction - HF®

  • Martial Nonviolence - MNv® - bodymind conflict facilitation training for individual and group conflict that is physical, intangible, and systemic

  • Flexibility In Adversity Training - FIAT®
 

Certifications in Existing Methodologies:

  • Community Mediation – State of California, Marvin Schwartz J.D.

  • Aikido, Martial Art of Peace, 4th degree black belt, Instructor

  • Community Building Facilitator – Leadership Training, Foundation for Community Encouragement (F.C.E.) – M. Scott Peck M.D.

  • Children’s Theater, History of Theater, Musical Theater, Voice, Improvisation as Social Action – Dallas Theater Center

 

Professional Associations

Related Associations

  • Modern Language Association
  • Peace and Justice Studies Association
  • Pacific Coast Theological Society
  • American Academy of Religion
  • International Association for Jungian Studies
  • Foundation for Mythological Studies
  • Foundation for Community Encouragement (FCE)
  • Aiki Extensions
  • Peace Dojos International - Steering Committee
  • California Aikido Association
  • National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation
  • Training For Change, Inc.
  • Alumni Associations: DCW Montessori, Dallas Theater Center, St. Alcuin Montessori, Jesuit College Prep Dallas, University of Dallas, Pacifica Graduate Institute
  • Epworth UMC Community
  • Moving On Center School for Participatory Arts and Research


Formal Recognition

Recommended for and inducted by Huston Smith into the Pacific Coast Theological Society at the Graduate Theological Union

Promoted to 4th degree Aikido black belt, Aikikai International, by Sensei Kayla Feder 6th dan
 

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Primary Websites and Public Blogs

Dissertation

The Myth of Peace: a culture of peacemaking, the process arts, and the emergence of a global communitarian mythology

 

Research

 

Pre-Dissertation

 

The Roots of Imagination: Creating a Mythological Education   4/8/2005   Santa Barbara, CA
 
Share Equity Create Value   4/20/2005   San Francisco, CA  
2nd International Academic Conference of Analytic Psychology & Jungian Studies   7/7/2005   College Station
Texas A & M University  
The Network of Spiritual Progressives Conference on Spiritual Activism   7/20/2005   U.C. Berkeley 
BIONEERS 2005 16th Annual Conference   10/14/2005   San Rafael, CA
 
Greenfestival 2005   11/5/2005   San Francisco, CA
 
Blossoms Bloom in the Fire: A Tribute to Marion Woodman   2/17/2006   Santa Barbara, CA  
1st Annual Joint American Homeopathic Conference: Homeopathy in Pediatrics and Family Care : Homeopathy in Pediatrics and Family Care   4/7/2006   San Jose, CA  
Spiritual Activism Conference 2006 / A Project of the Network of Spiritual Progressives   5/17/2006   Washington D.C.
All Souls Unitarian Church  
Mythic Imagination Institute - Mythic Journeys 2006   6/7/2006   Atlanta, GA  
Sojourners 2006/ From Poverty to Opportunity: A Covenant for a New America   6/26/2006   Washington D.C.
National City Christian Church  
Green Festival 2006 - San Francisco   11/10/2006   San Francisco, CA 
 
Dissertation and Beyond

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM: Daring to Be Men of Hope   2/7/2007   Danville, CA
Marion Woodman at Pacifica Graduate Institute   2/9/2007   Santa Barbara, CA
Pacifica Graduate Institute  
Uncovering The Heart of Education   2/22/2007   San Francisco, CA
Foundation for Mythological Studies/ Nature and Human Nature   3/16/2007   Santa Barbara, CA
Pacifica Graduate Institute  
16th National Conference on Child Abuse   4/16/2007   Portland, OR  
Imagination and Medicine: The Future of Healing in an Age of Neuroscience   4/27/2007   Santa Barbara, CA
Pacifica Graduate Institute  
Sacred Activism ~ The Power of Inclusion   5/10/2007   Tulsa, OK  
Nutrition and Health/Columbia University and Univ. of Arizona   5/14/2007   San Diego, CA  
Third International Women's Peace Conference   7/10/2007   Dallas, TX  
Globalization Teach-In 2007: Confronting the Global Triple Crisis   9/14/2007   Washington D.C.
George Washington University  
1st Annual Somatic Experiencing® Conference   10/24/2007   Oakland, CA  
San Francisco Green Festival   11/9/2007   San Francisco, CA  
International Association of Emergency Managers (FEMA, military, city and county governments, etc)
11/11/2007   Reno, NV
O for a World: Faith, Community and Sustainability (Earl Lectures)   1/22/2008   Berkeley, CA  
Publicizing Truths with Consequence: Independent Media Strategy Summit Design   1/26/2008   Santa Cruz, CA  
James Hillman - Senex and Puer 4/16/2010 Montecito, CA
Integral Theory Conference
7/30/2010

Pleasant Hill, CA

John F. Kennedy University

 

Contributions to Wikipedia on the following pages/topics:

Huston Smith, Seth Godin, Frak, Madrasah, Atenism, Nicholas Samstag, Society of Jesus, Operations Research, Robin Williams, Alfred North Whitehead, Octavio Solis, Swallow, Betty Buckley, Reaction formation, Focusing, Procrustes, William Sansom, Hans Vaihinger, Tasseography

 

REFERENCES

 

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