Mapping the Violence: Understanding how Space and Place Drive Gun Violence in Philadelphia, with Rev. David W. Brown and Dr. Quaiser Abdullah

In this webinar recording, Deborah Cai talks with David Brown and Quaiser Abdullah about how the role of space, which is more temporary, and place, which is more permanent, influences urban violence. In 2025, compared to 2024, Philadelphia’s rate of gun violence dropped by 24.5%, yet efforts to reduce this violence still have a long way to go.

Deborah Cai begins by providing a broader perspective on space and its relation to conflict management by discussing the organizational literature on ways that space is managed can impact conflict in the workplace and the sociological literature that considers how space management can impact conflict in neighborhoods. Next, David Brown draws from his work as Executive Director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives and as someone highly engaged in Philadelphia neighborhoods to discuss how space and place impact violence in Philadelphia. In the third segment, Quaiser Abdullah applies a conflict management lens—drawn from his work as a scholar-practitioner, imam, and civic engagement leader—to how space and place shape trust, legitimacy, and participation across Philadelphia neighborhoods. In the final segment of the webinar, David, an ordained minister, and Quaiser, an imam, talk together about their work with religious communities across the city and the role of religion and faith as they consider space and place in the city.

These episodes were originally conducted as a webinar sponsored by the Conflict Management Division of the Academy of Management as part of host Deborah Cai's work as a CM Division Scholar in Residence.

Biographies of the discussants:

Dr. Deborah Cai, Scholar in Residence at the Academy of Management’s Conflict Management division and Acting Dean and Professor in Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University

Reverend David W. Brown, Assistant Dean for Community and Communication and Associate Professor of Instruction at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University, Executive Director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives

Dr. Quaiser Abdullah, Assistant Professor of Instruction in Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University and past co-president of the Association for Conflict Resolution