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Thanks to the EC for its efforts, but I would strongly urge all ALT
members to vote AGAINST the code of conduct.<br>
<br>
Such codes of conduct may be needed, but the present formulation is
incompatible with free science.<br>
<br>
There is no definition of "harrassment" (just some examples of what
harrassment is), and the formulation "offensive comments related to
aspects of identity" is terribly vague. <br>
<br>
On the basis of such a code of conduct, almost anything that is
controversial could be construed as violating the code, so anyone
could be expelled from the conference, even though they are trying
to make a serious contribution to science.<br>
<br>
It's completely unclear who has the authority to "find conference
participants in violation", and how participants could defend
themselves if wrongly accused. I would not want to attend a
conference with such rules, as I would not feel safe to express my
(potentially controversial) scientific ideas.<br>
<br>
So the present formulation is completely counterproductive and
dangerous for ALT.<br>
<br>
I am aware that in Anglo-American culture, such codes of conduct are
more and more widespread, but there are big cultural differences. In
most parts of the world, precarious employment and restrictions on
travel are much more urgent problems that are worth thinking about.
I suggest that ALT's EC consider also other options to make people
feel welcome at ALT conferences, e.g. to increase the participation
fees for participants from rich countries substantially, in order to
alleviate the outrageous obstacles to conference participation that
many (potential) ALT members face.<br>
<br>
I'm all for addressing the problem of harrassment, but only if it
clear what exactly consitutes harrassment, and if there is no threat
of expelling participants from ALT conferences. (Or if there is such
a threat, then there should be a due process, as we're used to in
free societies, rather than an arbitrary decision by some
unspecified authority.) Maybe there should be a larger discussion at
the ALT conference, or on the LINGTYP List.<br>
<br>
Best wishes,<br>
Martin<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 20.11.17 14:24, Kristine Hildebrandt
wrote:<br>
</div>
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<div>Dear ALT members:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We have two important items up for vote. Both items are
contained in a single electronic ballot, which can be found
here:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true" class="gmail-survey-link
gmail-ng-binding" target="_blank"
href="https://siue.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6id2p5qEU7W3tzf"
style="box-sizing:border-box;font-family:"Qualtrics
Grotesque","Helvetica
Neue",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,122,192);text-decoration-line:none;outline:none;font-size:17px;text-align:center">https://siue.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6id2p5qEU7W3tzf</a><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>This link allows you to vote exactly once, and the origin
of the vote is untraceable (ie. the vote is anonymous to me
when I collect the results).</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Item 1:</div>
<div>Of the six current Executive Committee members, three are
rotating off, and need to be replaced (Felix Ameka, Isabelle
Bril, Keren Rice). Three continue for another term: Silvia
Luraghi, Stepehen Matthews, Felicity Meakins.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The ALT nominating committee identified and consulted with
three nominees for the EC: Mark Dingemanse, Rachel Nordlinger,
and Ljuba Veselinova.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>When you go the e-ballot, you will see brief bio-sketches
of the three nominees. You can vote for all three together, or
for any individual. And even if you do not vote for any
nominee, you can still vote on Item #2 (below).</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We are grateful to both the outgoing EC members, and to the
Nominating Committee (Nick Enfield, Nina Dobrushina, Martin
Haspelmath, and Claire Bowern) for their work for ALT.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Item 2:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The ALT Officers (Jeff Good, Dmitry Idiatov, and me), in
consultation with the EC have drawn up a code of conduct
statement to be added to the ALT statutes. Please vote either
for or against the adoption of this code.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><b>Voting is now open as of this email. The deadline to
vote is Tuesday December 5 at 5pm Central Standard Time.</b></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thank you!</div>
-- <br>
<div class="gmail_signature">
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<div dir="ltr">Orche<br>
('Thanks' in Manange)
<div><br>
<i>Kristine A. Hildebrandt</i></div>
<div><i style="font-size:12.8px">Associate
Professor, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.siue.edu/artsandsciences/english/"
target="_blank">Department of English
Language & Literature</a></i><i><br>
</i></div>
<div><i>Secretary, <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.linguistic-typology.org/"
target="_blank">Association for
Linguistic Typology</a><br>
</i></div>
<div><i>Editor, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://escholarship.org/uc/himalayanlinguistics"
target="_blank">Himalayan Linguistics</a></i></div>
<div><span style="font-size:small">Check out
our </span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://mananglanguages.isg.siue.edu/"
style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:small" target="_blank">Manang
Languages</a><span
style="font-size:small"> project page!</span><br>
</div>
<div><i>Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville</i>
<div><i>Box 1431<br>
Edwardsville, IL 62026 U.S.A.<br>
618-650-3991 (department voicemail)</i>
<div><i><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:khildeb@siue.edu"
target="_blank">khildeb@siue.edu</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.siue.edu/%7Ekhildeb"
target="_blank">http://www.siue.edu/~khildeb</a></i></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Martin Haspelmath (<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:haspelmath@shh.mpg.de">haspelmath@shh.mpg.de</a>)
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
Kahlaische Strasse 10
D-07745 Jena
&
Leipzig University
IPF 141199
Nikolaistrasse 6-10
D-04109 Leipzig
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