The Task of the Respondent

All presentations at Rooms for Discussion will have assigned respondents. The task of the respondents will be somewhat different than that of those at a traditional conference. More than criticize the discussants' arguments, the respondents should ask questions that encourage their counterparts to elaborate on key ideas that they have touched upon in their short (3-page max.) presentations. In this sense, the response should be more like an interview than a critique. Our hope is that the dialogue between the discussant and the respondent will serve to open the conversation to the other presenters and to the public.