Universiteit Leiden

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Conference | D&I Symposium

Language, inclusion and belonging

Date
Thursday 19 January 2023
Time
Serie
Being the First
Address
Online and at ECC Leiden
Haagse Schouwweg 10
2332 KG Leiden

The concept of belonging is inextricably linked to our ability to communicate with each other. Whether it is communication through sign languages, video calls or emojis in texts: the way people connect with one another can determine how they feel in relation to their surroundings. But what does inclusion through communication entail? Does the use of inclusive terminologies suffice? In which ways can inclusive communication contribute to a sense of belonging? How can inclusive communication make you feel welcome at a university? 

The D&I Expertise Office and the Faculty of Humanities of Leiden University have joined forces for this year’s edition of the D&I symposium. This annual event is the time of the year when students, staff members and other partners within and outside the university gather to discuss and look back at the achievements and projects from the past year and to look ahead, reconnect and inspire each other to continue working on a safer, more inclusive and diverse university community. 

Languages

The main language of the symposium will be English unless otherwise noted. English-Sign Language of the Netherlands (SLN) translation will be provided during the plenary part of the symposium. During workshops SLN translation will be available upon request.

Moderator

Tsolin Nalbantian

Programme

The programme will feature panel discussions, lectures and workshops on a wide range of topics, including inclusive language and terminology, inclusive recruitment tools, decolonisation within education and more.

Launch event Declaration of Equity

During lunch, between 11:45  and 13:00, there will be the presentation of the Declaration of Equity, a guidance document for study associations. 

09:30
Walk-in
10:00
Welcome by Tsolin Nalbantian
10:05
Opening by Annetje Ottow, President of the Executive Board
10:15
Wayne Modest: Fleeting Commitments – Language and the Question of Decolonization
10:40
Mounir Samuel: Time for Diversability
11:05
Panel discussion and Q&A: Language, inclusion and belonging at Leiden University and the Faculty of Humanities
11:40
Kevin Groen: Spoken Word
11:45
Lunch | Launch event Declaration of Equity
13:00
Workshops
14:30
Closing reception
15:00
End

Keynote speakers

Wayne Modest

Wayne Modest is Director of Content of the Dutch National Museum of World Culture (a museum group comprising the Tropenmuseum, Museum Volkenkunde, Africa Museum) and the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. He is also Professor (by special appointment) of Material Culture and Critical Heritage Studies at VU Amsterdam. 

‘Decolonise’ as a term, as a concept, has (re)emerged recently to describe diverse demands for and practices of ‘institutional’ change. Numerous grassroots activist initiatives, including Decolonise this Place in the USA and Decolonise the Museum in the Netherlands and other European contexts, have appeared, demanding the decolonisation of museums, universities and archives, as well as curricula, methodologies and even disciplines. What are the promises of, as well as the problems with, such attempts at ‘decolonisation’? Indeed, these initiatives have not been without contestation, for example regarding definitions or the inclusion and exclusion of certain voices. In this presentation, Prof. Wayne Modest will explore these demands to decolonise museums, and other heritage institutions, and the museums’ responses. 

Mounir Samuel

Mounir Samuel is a political scientist, journalist, author and cultural entrepreneur who works at the crossroads of politics, media, art and culture.

In this speech Samuel will explain his notion of ‘diversability’ He will show the deficits of current views on ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ and will lay down a blueprint for a truly safe, inclusive and accessible university in which so-called diversity is more than just accepted or celebrated but aims instead for a culture that frees people from being constantly reduced to their one-dimensional group identities. He will challenge recurrent and existing stereotypes, burst some bubbles and work on creating new bonds and ties beyond culture, gender, sexual orientation and other core identities. His keynote will put special emphasis on the importance of value-based language and communication. 

 

Workshops

1. De-centering” Workshop and “Getting Together for Decoloniality”, The Decolonizing Collective 2. Workshop on inclusive language, in recruitment, selection and beyond (in Dutch), Rutger Legeland, Humancentric, Matthijs de Vries, HRM 3. The power of language: some reflection on its ability to include and exclude, Mo Gordon 4. You can’t say anything anymore (in Dutch), Mounir Samuel 5. Sheltering Academics: a conversation with refugee students and scholar activists Looi van Kessel and students from the Social Activism Strategies seminar 6. Breaking down the barriers together (in Dutch), Access and Support Platform & Stichting Things That Talk 7. D&I Symposium Workshop Active Bystander; how can you contribute to a safe and inclusive learning environment?, POPcorner

Registration

The D&I symposium consists of a plenary programme and workshops. Online participants can join the plenary programme via livestream. Offline participants can join both the plenary programme and the workshops at ECC Leiden.

If you have questions about registration or other aspects of the symposium, please email us at diversiteit@leidenuniv.nl

Online participants

Are you joining the symposium online?

Registration form

Offline participants

The offline programme is fully booked. Please join us online!

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