The 2026 Annual Symposium of the Centre for Informal Dispute Resolution (CIDR) at Saint Paul University [Call for papers, Panels and roundtables]

The Annual Symposium of the Centre for Informal Dispute Resolution (CIDR) at Saint Paul University — Navigating Crises: The Evolving Role of ADR Practitioners and Ombuds in Turbulent Times — will be held on May 11th and 12th, 2026, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and simultaneously online.

In times of growing social, political, and organisational turbulence, the need for effective conflict engagement has never been more vital. Today, conflict is not only more visible but also more closely tied to systemic inequalities, broken trust, and conflicting values. This symposium welcomes proposals that explore how dispute resolution professionals address the increasingly complex challenges they face.

Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Bernie Mayer, a renowned author and respected practitioner, Professor Emeritus of Conflict Studies at Creighton University, and a Founding Partner of CDR Associates. His address, “The Neutrality Delusion—Intervening in Conflict during Perilous Times,” will encourage us to confront the tension between maintaining credibility as impartial interveners and taking principled stances based on the core values of our work.

We invite proposals from ADR practitioners, managers, researchers, professors, and graduate students for panels, papers, and roundtable discussions on topics related to conflict resolution in times of social, political, and institutional crisis.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the topics listed below. Please note that we also welcome proposals on other ADR (Appropriate Dispute Resolution) topics for our general panels.

• Practising ADR in times of political, social, or institutional crisis
• Balancing neutrality and advocacy
• Re-framing institutional roles
• Responding to crises at the interpersonal or global levels as ADR practitionersCultivating resilience in the face of systemic conflict
• Evolution and innovation in ICMS (informal conflict management services) in the federal government
• The evolution of ombuds roles within existing organisational frameworks
• Organisational ethics and systemic change
• Public awareness initiatives to promote ADR as a tool in times of crisis
• The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in ADR
• Case studies on successful comprehensive conflict management models
• The growth of outsourced ombuds and conflict management more broadly in evolving political and institutional contexts
• Controversies surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) strategies and policies
• Health sector complaint management
• Cross-sector and cross-cultural practices
• ADR practices in the Global South
• ADR systems in new sectors/industries

How to submit a proposal

Proposal window: September 29, 2025 – January 30, 2026

Presentation Options – We welcome the following types of proposals:

1. Panel topic including 3 or 4 speakers.
2. 50-minute in-depth presentation with discussion afterwards.
3. Standard 15-Minute Presentation in a panel.
   

Evaluation Criteria:

• Relevance to ADR practice in times of political and social crisis
• Potential to further ADR areas of practice and/or research
• Possible overlap between practice and research
• Method and organisation of presentations, with a preference for proposals that include opportunities for audience engagement.
  

Proposals for panels and papers (in English or French) should be sent to Professor Brent Epperson at bepperso@ustpaul.ca and Professor Jean-François Rioux at jfrioux@ustpaul.ca. Proposals must be submitted by January 30th, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST to be considered by the Symposium Review Committee. Presenters will be notified of the committee’s decisions by February 16th, 2026.

Please note that Saint Paul University may publish conference proceedings electronically for presenters who formally accept and contribute their papers following the event. However, this does not preclude the publication of revised documents elsewhere.