We would like to invite you to attend “Linguistic (In)equality: Understanding Linguistic Power Dynamics in Culturally Diverse Groups” – a Student Science Club ONOMA meeting, which will take place this Friday from 16:30 to 18:00 at Plac Stanisława Staszica 1, Room 303.
After the success of the first, Polish-language workshop, the organization does not rest on its laurels, continuing to raise awareness for their cause – the need for more accommodations for different social groups, to create a community that is more open and inclusive. This open, accredited for scholarships course will focus on group exercises and discussions, addressing questions such as: “How do languages shape the way we think and make decisions?”, “What happens in groups with diverse language proficiency and repertoires?”, and “How can we create an inclusive intercultural and multilingual dialogue?”. Participating in this series of (artistic, cultural, and educational) activities will not only offer a chance for self-reflection, but also provide a unique experience working with people from various backgrounds.
We spoke with Oliwia Doszczak, the natively Polish co-creator of the whole project, a member of the science club, ERASMUS+ Buddy Mentors program helper, and FORTHEM Buddy: “In the Student Science Club Onoma, we like to take linguistics (the main field of the club’s interest) outside of articles and research and bring it to the people. We believe that what tends to be considered purely academic knowledge is, in fact, valuable outside of the university and undeniably important. That’s why we teamed up with Kino Meduza, this time to talk about the inequality all minorities face. As part of this project, to cater to the needs of foreigners in Opole, I decided to add one English-language workshop to the repertoire, dedicated – a bit ironically – to the topic of multilingual and intercultural communication. I firmly believe that this topic is overlooked, especially in our local community, which is progressively more diverse and international. I hope this workshop will provide a much-needed space to spark a debate about the necessity for improvement of intercultural communication in Opole and that the participants will become ambassadors of inclusive and equal communication between different linguistic minorities and majorities!” – said the social activism enthusiast on the topic.
As a project with a similar goal, we strongly agree with the idea of using our passions for the greater good. Opening the door to a better understanding of language (while respecting the peculiarities of each tongue), and recognizing the linguistic methods we use in our daily lives, is vital for places undergoing international growth, like our region. Let’s work together for a more harmonious and collaborative local life environment!
(Photo: Student Science Club ONOMA)
