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This chapter offers a conceptual framework for the role of emotions and empathy in the desire and choice to alleviate suffering. Because the locus of the suffering (self, other, or social) may change the role of emotions in suffering, they are discussed collectively and separately. The structure of the empathy process is outlined in ten steps or phases, including emotional resonance and self-regulation. This larger perspective on empathy encompasses shared experience as well as the potential for compassion and altruism. Mindfulness is discussed in terms of its role in readiness for the alleviation of suffering through exercises in resonance and self-regulation. The chapter ends by showing how emotional processes can apply to large-scale social suffering and the potential they hold for contributing to even broader relief.

Disclosure or nondisclosure as a phenomenon is complex, with many variants that impact on the process of disclosure, as well as the experiences of the person living with HIV (PLWHA) who discloses his or her HIV status. This complexity lies in the close link between disclosure, stigma, and culture. High stigma levels prevent disclosure, and disclosure practices vary greatly according to cultural practices and beliefs. The choice of disclosure should always be a well informed and responsible decision involving both the PLWHA and health-care workers. Even if the PLWHA is well informed, the results following disclosure are always mixed. However, disclosure by others without the consent of the PLWHA is also a reality that the PLWHA has to face. Most health literature seems to favour disclosure by persons living with HIV. This is not necessarily always to the advantage of the person disclosing his/her status and there could be some normalcy in not disclosing. In this chapter, a comprehensive framework for the HIV disclosure process is provided, focusing on categories of disclosure, factors before disclosure, as well as factors during and after the process of disclosure. Responsible disclosure management is a shared experience between the PLWHA and the health-care workers involved in their care. To conclude this chapter, a practical approach to responsible disclosure management is offered.

To more fully understand Dewey’s philosophy of action as it pertains to occupation we explore his conceptualizations of embodiment and growth. For Dewey, embodiment refers to a process of inhabiting an inherently social world. We discuss the process of embodying as it fits within Dewey’s view of people as “live creatures.” This process occurs within an uncertain and complex world, and we examine how embodiment works to develop habits and the ability of people to coordinate with a changing world. Coordination necessitates inquiry into problematic situations, and inquiry is a source of growth for individuals and communities. We then discuss the Deweyan concept of growth—the continual emergence and actualization of possibilities—as it connects to embodiment and transaction. Combined with Dewey’s ideas of freedom and equality, embodiment and growth provide the ability to understand occupation in a much richer way. Using Dewey’s early works on education, we synthesize his conceptualization of occupation with his concepts of embodiment and growth. We suggest that occupations be viewed as ways of embodying shared experience, enhancing growth, and promoting personal and communal well-being across the life course.

This chapter describes Maura Morse’s journey to connect her own ways of seeing and knowing to the rigors of academic research. It begins by briefly chronicling her initial perceptions of what it means to do academic research, training to become a dispassionate and objective observer. However, she describes how she began to understand that this sterile vision of research was disconnected from how she relates to and knows the world. As a teacher, mother, wife, and friend, her ways of knowing the world were relational and connected. Therefore, she describes how she conducted rigorous academic research that aligned with her intimate ways of understanding. Specifically, she used (co) auto/ethnography and a co-teaching methodology (both explained in the chapter) as a teacher researcher to investigate her research questions within her own 5th grade classroom. She provides a rationale for the importance of teacher research as a way to illuminate essential understandings that can only be brought to light by someone in the position of teacher.

Values can tell us much about the terrorist choice of tactics as well as about its impact on us. Values are critical to understanding the policy choices that are available for addressing the problem of terrorism. Values reflect shared experience that has been solidified into principles that do not need to be revisited in time of crisis. Closer attention to value-driven policy making will go far in restoring order to the American policy chaos of the early 21st Century and rebuilding U.S. credibility in the global community. This article outlines the values inherent in the terrorist's choice of violence and the values inherent in policy choices for response (law enforcement, security, and military).

The St. Petersburg merchant who wrote these words was not specifically thinking of relations between England and Holland when he made this observation, but his sentiments would have been approved by those, from both countries, who were assisting each other in trade. In Russia, the beginnings of co-operation between the two communities can be found very early in the eighteenth century. That it was extremely beneficial to both groups is demonstrated by the fact that this mutual assistance continued throughout the century, being managed with increasing ease and confidence. The Russian link is, however, only one in a chain of mutually supportive and beneficial contacts by which English and Dutch merchants were able to enhance their trading activities. The hub of this network was the Amsterdam-London connection but it reached outwards from there to Russia in the East, North America in the West and southwards into the Mediterranean. Though this relationship began on a purely commercial basis, it developed as time passed with shared experience and background leading to a widening and deepening of contacts.