THE KETTERING FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL NEWSLETTER CONNECTIONS www.kettering.org 2015 OUR HISTORY Journeys in KF Research CONNECTIONS CONTENTS 4 How Kettering Discovered Democracy 34 Listening for, and Finding, a Public Voice David Mathews Bob Daley 6 Key Events in KF History 38 Informing or Engaging: Collette McDonough What Is the Role of Higher Education in Strengthening Public Life? 8 The Issue Guide and the Issue Forum: Derek W. M. Barker Political Inventions Brad Rourke 43 Scholars and Scholarship with Ties to Communities 12 A Treasure Chest about to Open Ellen Knutson and Ileana Marin Nicholas A. Felts 47 KF and Journalism: 14 From Public Policy Institutes to Centers On Again! Off Again! On Again! for Public Life: Transforming People David Holwerk and Communities Alice Diebel 51 From Civil Society to Civil Investing, and Beyond 19 At Franklin Pierce, Learning to Make John Dedrick a Difference Joni Doherty 55 Creative Acts as Democratic Work Paloma Dallas and Melinda Gilmore 21 Town versus Gown? Not Here Sara A. Mehltretter Drury 59 The Dartmouth Conference Harold Saunders and Philip Stewart 23 Kettering’s Evolving Understanding— and My Own 65 Kettering and China: Ray Minor Thirty Years and Counting Maxine Thomas 26 Two Decades of Learning with Communities 68 Kettering’s Archives Hold a Quarter-Mile of Phillip D. Lurie History Maura Casey 30 Public Education as Community Work Connie Crockett, Phillip D. Lurie, Kettering Campus Vignettes and Randall Nielsen Brian Cobb, Mindy LaBreck, and Terry Nichols WWW.KETTERING.ORG 3 The Dartmouth Conference: A Simple but Grand Idea with Daniel Yankelovich (left) and Georgy Arbatov, Hanover, New Hampshire, 1984 World Peace he Dartmouth Conference is Tthe longest continuous bilateral dialogue between citizens of the Soviet Hanging in the Union, now Russia, and the United States. It has been an attempt to create a sus- tained dialogue on the changing nature Balance of the relationship between the two countries for the purposes of preventing nuclear war and then strengthening the Harold Saunders and relationship between two powers that Philip Stewart have much to contribute to world peace and development. 2000 WWW.KETTERING.ORG 59 The Dartmouth Conference The work began in May of 1959, when Norman Cousins went to Moscow with a simple but grand idea: to engage citizens from the two major nuclear powers in a conversation on how to prevent a nuclear war. Cousins was the strongest proponent of the idea for a conference that would bring together high-level citizens from the two primary antagonists of the Cold War. And he had a personal relationship with the president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Cousins was a unique figure in the intellectual and public life of mid-20th century America. He was editor for 35 years of the Saturday Review of Literature, a founder of the anti-nuclear SANE move- ment, and a committed believer that world peace could only be achieved through world government. He was also a member of the Kettering Foundation Dartmouth College President John Dickey (center) with Russian delegation, Hanover, board from 1967 to 1987. New Hampshire, 1960 Cousins went to Moscow in 1959 to meet with the Soviet Peace Committee to invitation would be accepted. Neverthe- meetings with Khrushchev, as well as a explain his idea for a citizens’ conference. less, the request was routed through the second meeting with the Peace Commit- While Cousins’ humor evoked laughs, his Soviet Central Committee’s International tee indicate the high level of Soviet interest harsh criticism of many aspects of Soviet Department, to whom the Peace Commit- this conference generated in Moscow. policy, particularly regarding nuclear tee reported. As preparations advanced for the first testing and human rights, was met with In October 1959, the Peace Commit- conference meeting, which was to be coolness. Although promised a response, tee received approval to move ahead with held at Dartmouth College in Hanover, Cousins could not have left the meeting this meeting. Alla Bobrysheva, Russian New Hampshire, in the spring of 1960, with much reason for hope. As this was interpreter and Dartmouth Conference the fundamental principles of this dia- to be the first meeting organized by the coordinator, is convinced that this decision logue were negotiated. Many of these Soviet Peace Committee with Americans was only possible through the personal arose from Norman Cousins’ deep insights who were not pro-Soviet, the committee intervention of Soviet leader Nikita into what it takes to enable effective leadership was deeply skeptical that his Khrushchev. Cousins’ subsequent personal human discourse, especially across deep The Katherine W. Fanning International Fellowship for Journalism and Democracy is created in her memory. 2001 60 CONNECTIONS 2015 The Dartmouth Conference divisions of hostility and suspicion. The diversity and the breadth of the American United States Anatoly Dobrynin urged first principle was that everyone would experience and character, such as African that the meeting should go on. The Soviets participate as a private citizen, not as a American opera singer Marian Anderson; presented a united front and agreed to representative of a group or organization. playwright Russel Crouse; mathematician continue with the meeting if the Ameri- The idea behind this was that private citi- and president of Dartmouth College John cans wished to do so. Norman Cousins zens would feel less constrained by official Dickey; choreographer Agnes de Mille; perhaps best summed up the American policy and more able to recognize and former ambassador to the Soviet Union perspective in his book, The Improbable respond to fundamental human values. George Kennan, as well as various busi- Triumvirate: John F. Kennedy, Pope John, Both sides agreed that everyone would ness leaders and former government and Nikita Khrushchev: participate strictly in their personal, or officials and members of Congress. The debate at Andover that week was private, capacity, irrespective of their high- For many participants, Dartmouth III, strenuous, sometimes strident, but two level official positions. which was held at the Phillips Academy things became clear as it spilled over into in Andover, Massachusetts, October 21-27, The other principles were designed the second day. One was that the Cuban 1962, was a crucible moment, as it to develop an environment that would crisis didn’t interfere with the cordiality demonstrated the value and role of the maximize the potential for developing of the Russians or their desire to have a Dartmouth Conference. During the intro- relationships on a human level, thus productive conference. The second was ductory dinner, President Kennedy was making it possible to raise and confront that both Russians and Americans, as making his famous speech confirming the most difficult and contentious issues private citizens, showed a clear desire to that the Soviet Union was building mis- frankly and openly. Meetings were kept find a way out of the crisis. off the record to create a safe environ- sile sites capable of launching ment, free from publicity. Stretching the medium- and intermediate-range meetings over five or more days, with nuclear missiles at the United The Dartmouth Conference additional meetings before and after the States and announcing an imme- main sessions, provided ample free time diate blockade of all military is the longest continuous for informal conversations and getting to shipments to Cuba. Should the know each other. meeting continue? Should the bilateral dialogue between delegates immediately return Showing America at Its Best home? What was the role of even citizens of the Soviet Union, Cousins showed some of his keenest well-connected private citizens in insight in his selection of US participants. such a crisis? Each side pondered now Russia, and the The question was how to create an image these questions, consulting with of the United States sufficiently power- their respective governments United States. ful and persuasive to break through for advice. As became clear only deeply embedded Soviet stereotypes of many years later, the Soviet dele- the “imperialist” West. Cousins’ answer gation itself was deeply divided, with only In a 1989 interview, longtime Soviet was to involve persons whose careers a minority ready to continue the meeting. participant Yuri Zhukov observed that and deepest beliefs embodied both the However, Soviet ambassador to the this “was undoubtedly the most dramatic and meaningful” of the Dartmouth con- International Institute July 2002 for Sustained Dialogue First joint Deliberative (IISD) is officially Democracy Workshop and incorporated. Public Policy Workshop is held in Dayton, Ohio. 2002 WWW.KETTERING.ORG 61 The Dartmouth Conference ferences. “I think that in our meeting in In 1965, the fourth Dartmouth Confer- especially when they have thought them Andover,” he continued, “the way we dealt ence convened; however, after the US through deliberatively. with the problems, were harbingers of the bombing of Hanoi, the Soviet side refused While never a negotiated criterion, the solution reached at the highest level later to meet for the next four years. Soviets and Russians, within the context on.” As Alla Bobrysheva pointed out in her Kettering’s Role Increases of their society, included people with book, Thanks for the Memories, Dartmouth analogous qualities and policy roles. These In 1970, the Kettering principles have guided the Dartmouth Foundation was invited Conference in each of its 20 plenary and Following its founder’s to assume lead responsi- more than 130 small task force meetings bility for the Dartmouth of specialists during the succeeding 55 interests in invention, Kettering Conference for the years since Dartmouth I. The task force recognized the Dartmouth American side. As an meetings address issues from arms con- operating, research trol to regional conflicts; from civil war Conference as a significant, organization, Kettering in Tajikistan to the stalemated post-war found two aspects of situation around Nagorno-Karabakh in the original social innovation: Dartmouth of particular Caucasus; from Afghanistan to Syria and interest.