Zieva Konvisser | Fielding Graduate University (original) (raw)
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Papers by Zieva Konvisser
Texas A&M Law Review
Only a few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction; sever... more Only a few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction; several others have examined the psychological consequences of incarceration and its impact on reentry and reintegration, primarily for men. For women who have been wrongfully convicted and subsequently released from prison into the free world, there are further indignities and unique issues: having to deal with the deep personal loss of murdered loved ones along with criminal charges; the absence of DNA evidence, making convictions harder to fight; stigmatization by prosecutors and the media; and unique emotional and medical needs. This Article presents findings from in-depth interviews with twenty-one exonerated women and describes the unique qualities and needs faced by wrongfully convicted women during their arrest, trial, conviction, imprisonment, release, and post-release, and the creative and resourceful strategies that have helped them cope with an untenable reality. By giving voice t...
Journal of Transformative Education
This article addresses a significant gap in the transformative learning literature as it relates ... more This article addresses a significant gap in the transformative learning literature as it relates to collective transformation, a transformation that is a level beyond individual transformation and is differentiated from the designed and imposed forms of social or organizational change. We consider collective transformation as an emergent and shared worldview shift that is grounded in a shared experience. The participants might not be fully aware of or even able to describe this experience until they engage with it at the interpersonal level. In prior research and practice, the five authors have independently observed and documented the phenomenon of collective transformation among members of marginalized populations who have undergone liminal experiences—forms of disequilibrium that leave individuals betwixt and between. The common thread in these experiences is the emergence of a shared feeling called communitas, which is a deeply felt (yet often temporary) sense of belonging and c...
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice
Proceedings of International Transformative Learning Conference (ITLC), 2016
Stories of those who survive and grow from " disorienting dilemmas, " " discomforting transitions... more Stories of those who survive and grow from " disorienting dilemmas, " " discomforting transitions, " or " moral injuries " reveal how the dissonance of such lived experiences may be the catalyst not only for personal growth, but also social action – helping to create more just and humane social systems. Some of those so affected by disrupted lives include displaced workers, veterans, amputees, persons-in-conflict, and exonerated individuals. The process of personal transformation often involves the presence of communitas, in which there is a willingness to accept and give voice to emotion-laden experiences in the presence of supportive – and sometimes challenging – others. The experience of liminality, or freeing from previously accepted restraints and beliefs, is also a significant aspect of this transformational experience. From the theoretical intersections of imaginal learning, social construction, somatics, conflict theory, and posttraumatic growth, we consider some principles by which the dissonance of violated moral codes can be transformed into energy and vision for social change and community-building – expanding our collective worldview and social sphere.
Traumatic experiences are not unique to war veterans, survivors of genocide, the wrongfully convi... more Traumatic experiences are not unique to war veterans, survivors of genocide, the wrongfully convicted, or those with visible disabilities. A better understanding of their experiences in overcoming these adversities – and growing from them – can help us all to create space for transformation in our lives, and the lives of others. The way we communicate, or talk about life experiences (including traumatic events), has a significant impact on the way they are experienced and responded to. This includes making meaning of traumatic events in the context of other life experiences, reconstructing/co-constructing a new worldview that takes into account permanent changes or expanded consciousness, and incorporating somatic or embodied experience in the transformation process. This paper will address the factors that may make positive change after adversity possible, and discuss some of the ways that supportive space, complex communication, and somatic awareness can help to make this happen on a broader scale.
Texas A&M Law Review
Only a few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction; sever... more Only a few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of wrongful conviction; several others have examined the psychological consequences of incarceration and its impact on reentry and reintegration, primarily for men. For women who have been wrongfully convicted and subsequently released from prison into the free world, there are further indignities and unique issues: having to deal with the deep personal loss of murdered loved ones along with criminal charges; the absence of DNA evidence, making convictions harder to fight; stigmatization by prosecutors and the media; and unique emotional and medical needs. This Article presents findings from in-depth interviews with twenty-one exonerated women and describes the unique qualities and needs faced by wrongfully convicted women during their arrest, trial, conviction, imprisonment, release, and post-release, and the creative and resourceful strategies that have helped them cope with an untenable reality. By giving voice t...
Journal of Transformative Education
This article addresses a significant gap in the transformative learning literature as it relates ... more This article addresses a significant gap in the transformative learning literature as it relates to collective transformation, a transformation that is a level beyond individual transformation and is differentiated from the designed and imposed forms of social or organizational change. We consider collective transformation as an emergent and shared worldview shift that is grounded in a shared experience. The participants might not be fully aware of or even able to describe this experience until they engage with it at the interpersonal level. In prior research and practice, the five authors have independently observed and documented the phenomenon of collective transformation among members of marginalized populations who have undergone liminal experiences—forms of disequilibrium that leave individuals betwixt and between. The common thread in these experiences is the emergence of a shared feeling called communitas, which is a deeply felt (yet often temporary) sense of belonging and c...
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice
Proceedings of International Transformative Learning Conference (ITLC), 2016
Stories of those who survive and grow from " disorienting dilemmas, " " discomforting transitions... more Stories of those who survive and grow from " disorienting dilemmas, " " discomforting transitions, " or " moral injuries " reveal how the dissonance of such lived experiences may be the catalyst not only for personal growth, but also social action – helping to create more just and humane social systems. Some of those so affected by disrupted lives include displaced workers, veterans, amputees, persons-in-conflict, and exonerated individuals. The process of personal transformation often involves the presence of communitas, in which there is a willingness to accept and give voice to emotion-laden experiences in the presence of supportive – and sometimes challenging – others. The experience of liminality, or freeing from previously accepted restraints and beliefs, is also a significant aspect of this transformational experience. From the theoretical intersections of imaginal learning, social construction, somatics, conflict theory, and posttraumatic growth, we consider some principles by which the dissonance of violated moral codes can be transformed into energy and vision for social change and community-building – expanding our collective worldview and social sphere.
Traumatic experiences are not unique to war veterans, survivors of genocide, the wrongfully convi... more Traumatic experiences are not unique to war veterans, survivors of genocide, the wrongfully convicted, or those with visible disabilities. A better understanding of their experiences in overcoming these adversities – and growing from them – can help us all to create space for transformation in our lives, and the lives of others. The way we communicate, or talk about life experiences (including traumatic events), has a significant impact on the way they are experienced and responded to. This includes making meaning of traumatic events in the context of other life experiences, reconstructing/co-constructing a new worldview that takes into account permanent changes or expanded consciousness, and incorporating somatic or embodied experience in the transformation process. This paper will address the factors that may make positive change after adversity possible, and discuss some of the ways that supportive space, complex communication, and somatic awareness can help to make this happen on a broader scale.