Title: Solidarity and Harmony: Dialogue between the East and West to find wisdom in rebuilding communities

Date and time: Friday, January 26th, 2024. 9:10 am - 6:10 pm

Venue: 4th floor, Room 31406, Toegye Hall of Humanities, Sungkyunkwan University

Purpose: The recent academic conference aimed to delve into the foundational aspects necessary for rebuilding social cohesion amidst the ongoing crisis of community breakdown. Focusing on the important concepts of harmony and solidarity, which constitute the thematic essence of the third year of this research center, this conference sought to address contemporary challenges. While the preceding academic conference titled “Harmony over Order - Ideology and Practice of Condominium of King and Ruling Elites(君臣共治)” held in October last year, explored the notion of righteous harmony within the framework of traditional Confucian political order, this conference focused on contemporary societal challenges. By bringing together professional scholars of Eastern and Western philosophy, the conference provided a venue to explore diverse perspectives, solutions, and pathways for fostering greater cohesion within communities.

Outcome: The conference centered on key communal values, such as harmony, solidarity, care, communitarianism, republicanism, and liberalism, along with the underlying political and philosophical perspectives. Through extensive discussions, the ideological resources of the Confucian tradition were contextualized for modern times. The discussions facilitated an exploration of meaningful alternatives and insights for society from various angles. These achievements are expected to serve as a foundation for expanding the research on the value of harmony at this research center, encouraging broader perspectives and discussions.