"GES-2" and IL SIR opened a conference dedicated to the study of the deaf community
On May 31, 2024, the opening of the Second Annual Interdisciplinary Conference “Exploring the Deaf Community” took place at the GES-2 House of Culture, bringing together scientists and practitioners from more than 10 countries.
![Participants of the Second Annual Interdisciplinary Conference "Exploring the Deaf Community"](/data/2024/06/01/2127129464/photo_2024-06-01_11-37-47.jpg "Participants of the Second Annual Interdisciplinary Conference "Exploring the Deaf Community"")
Vlad Kolesnikov, curator of programs for the deaf community and accessibility for the deaf and hard of hearing at GES-2, a member of the conference organizing committee, noted the importance of exchanging experience in studying deaf communities at the Russian and international levels during a meeting with the participants. At the conference, as in the previous year, were not only linguistic, sociological, pedagogical, and ethical approaches to the study of culture and sign language touched upon, but for the first time, participants in sessions and round tables were invited to discuss international and regional practices of integrating the deaf people into professional, educational, cultural, and media spaces. Not only leading scientists but also young researchers were invited to participate in the conference. Thus, the conference includes an element of participatory research, where young participants can gain experience in scientific work.
Opening the conference, Artem Bondarevsky, CEO of the V-A-C Foundation and the GES-2 House of Culture, emphasized that this forum was made possible thanks to the cooperation between the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research at the HSE and the GES-2 House of Culture. He also expressed confidence that the conference will be held annually since the topics raised here become even more relevant because the results of the work carried out influence the development of education and culture.
On the first day of the conference, a plenary session was held, moderated by the head of the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research at the HSE, Professor Elena Iarskaia-Smirnova.
To ensure that all participants understood each other, nine simultaneous interpreters were organized at the plenary session, who simultaneously translated the reports and discussion into several sign and audio languages. More than 150 spectators of the session had the opportunity to scan a QR code to get into a chat with the moderator and ask the speakers their questions at any time during the discussion. Questions from the audience were immediately passed on to the moderator, and then to the speakers. This practice of establishing communication with the audience was supported by the moderators of all sections at the conference.
The audience was introduced to unique research projects in the field of inclusive design in Indonesia (Rahmita Mun Harahap, Merku Buana University), social exclusion of deaf Bedouin women in Israel (Nuza Alessad Al-Uzeil, School of Social Work, Sapir Academic College), bilingual education of deaf children in Hong Kong (Philip Thierfelder and Emily Koenders, The Chinese University of Hong Kong), training teachers of the deaf in Russia (Tatiana Solovyova, Institute of Correctional Pedagogy, Moscow), and the development of Ethiopian Sign Language (Eyasu Hail Tamene, Addis Ababa University). All speakers took part in the discussion of pressing social issues related to the exclusion of the deaf in their countries and also pointed out the inclusive prospects that are opening up thanks to social policy, education, and the initiatives of public organizations and individual leaders.
Following the discussion, the participants noted the high level of organization of the conference, as well as the importance of developing cooperation between countries to improve living conditions for deaf people:
- "I am amazed by the technological level, the availability of translation, and the coherence of the organizational work at this conference. Now we all have an example of how to hold conferences," shared her impressions Nuza Alessad Al-Uzeil from the Sapira Academic College in Israel.
- "We need to agree on cooperation in the direction of studying the culture of the deaf and the use of this knowledge in the training of teachers of the deaf," noted Tatyana Solovyova, director of the Institute of Correctional Pedagogy in Moscow.
After the plenary session, a presentation of the study "To be or not to be: theater (for) the deaf in modern Russia" took place, in which participants of the "Exploring the Deaf Community" circle - Angelina Vasilenkova, Maria Vedeneyeva, Petr Malyshev, Bronislav Skachkov, as well as Polina Zotova, who moderated the discussion, spoke about the practices of visiting theaters by deaf and hard of hearing people in Russia: for example, survey participants generally visit the theater more often than hearing spectators. When organizing theatrical productions for directors and actors representing the deaf community, the performances must attract the attention of both deaf and hearing spectators.
At the end of the first day of the conference, Nikita Bolshakov (editor and compiler of the almanac, leading research fellow at the International Laboratory for Social Integration Studies at the HSE, curator of accessibility and inclusion programs at the Cryptography Museum), Vlad Kolesnikov (editor and compiler of the almanac, curator of programs for the deaf community at the V–A–C Foundation and the GES-2 House of Culture or of programs for the deaf community at the V–A–C Foundation and the GES-2 House of Culture) and Tamara Shatula (editor and proofreader of the almanac, editor of the publishing department at V–A–C) presented the first almanac “Exploring the Deaf Community”, which brings together the scientific works of scientists, practitioners, students, and postgraduates, completed in line with Deaf Studies.
According to Maria Malofeeva, a research intern at the International Laboratory for Social Integration Studies at the HSE, who published the results of her research in the almanac, “This is a wonderful opportunity to share and get acquainted with the works of researchers and practitioners studying the social life of deaf people. I am glad that the organizers are already planning to organize a collection of new articles for the release of the second almanac!” The creation of the second almanac based on the results of the conference was also supported by Artem Bondarevsky, General Director of the GES-2 Culture Center.
We remind you that the work of the interdisciplinary conference “Exploring the Deaf Community” will continue on June 1 and 2. The conference program is available at the link. We invite everyone to participate