Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, United States
Session Description: Despite good intentions, ecologists can still choose language that excludes people, inflicts harm, and can perpetuate some of the very systemic injustices their research may seek to redress. In this workshop, participants will learn how the vocabulary, sentences, and framing they use to describe their research can perpetuate white supremacy, racism, classism, ableism, heteronormativity, ethnocentrism, etc. Participants will discuss how the language of ecology contains what the late poet Donald Hall called “dead words and tired metaphors.” Working collaboratively, participants will identify jargon and exclusive or problematic language in their own research communications as well as ecology in general, and craft creative and original alternatives that better support their research and communication goals while contributing to an ESA for All Ecologists.
