Owen-Maclure 200th Anniversary Conference to explore innovative communities: past, present and future
The University of Southern Indiana College of Liberal Arts, in collaboration with Historic New Harmony and the Center for Communal Studies, will host the Owen-Maclure 200th Anniversary Conference, November 12–15, at the New Harmony Inn and Conference Center in New Harmony, Indiana. Under the theme “Innovative Communities: Past, Present and Future,” the conference will commemorate the bicentennial of the Owen-Maclure community of equality and explore the enduring influence of innovative approaches to community building.
The conference will bring together scholars, architects, urban planners and others interested in the historical roots and contemporary possibilities of communities founded on cooperation, equality and shared purpose. Through keynote presentations and conference sessions, attendees will have opportunities to consider how ideas from the past can inform responses to today's social, environmental and community-planning challenges.
Featured keynote speakers include Gregory Claeys, professor of the history of political thought at Royal Holloway, University of London, and Ross Chapin, a renowned U.S. architect, author and urban planner.
Claeys, an elected member of the Academy of Europe and chair of the Utopian Studies Society, is widely recognized for his work on historical utopian thought and its relevance to contemporary issues, including climate change. His book, "Utopianism for a Dying Planet: Life After Consumerism," examines the need for new ways of thinking about society in the face of environmental destruction.
Chapin is known for pioneering the concept of pocket neighborhoods, which emphasize thoughtfully designed, close-knit residential communities. In 1996, he partnered with developer Jim Soules to create the Third Street Cottages in Langley, Washington, establishing a model for municipal housing codes across North America. His work has been featured in major newspapers and journals, and he is a recipient of the Nautilus Book Award and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
The conference's setting in historic New Harmony offers a fitting backdrop for examining the legacy of experimental communities and their continuing relevance. The bicentennial provides an opportunity to reflect on the ideas that inspired earlier efforts to build more equitable societies while considering how those principles might shape communities in the years ahead.
Registration Information
Two registration options are available:
Conference Registration — $200: Includes admission to all sessions, meals and a printed conference program.
Guest Registration — Free: Includes admission to all sessions and a printed conference program. Meals are not included.
Additional information about the conference, registration and the bicentennial celebration is available at owenmaclure200.com.