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<p>I wonder what the best predictor for our voting behaviour ist:
Sex/gender or place of residence.<br>
</p>
<p>My problem with this particular code is that it conveys a feeling
of Western supremacism. Being written in English, it suggests that
the evaluative adjectives ('offensive', 'inapproprtate',
'unwelcome') are to be interpreted according to the standards of
the Anglo-Saxon world. More specifically, the code uses the style
of American administration (just compare it to the friendly
Australian version that Martin suggested; I wonder if there is a
polite British version, too ;-) ), suggesting that it is the
(puritan) American standards that are to be applied, and the
examples given by Claire Bowern point in this direction. Asking
women (plural) where they are staying -- did I get this right that
this is supposed to be a reason for being expelled from the
conference? (Note that I've never done this, and I'm not planning
to do it.) Using examples where men beat women -- I was actually
scheduled for a talk in the corpus-based typology workshop (can't
attend for independent reasons) where I wanted to present my
annotation work done on the basis of the 'Family Problems Picture
Task', developed at the MPI Nijmegen, which (for good reasons)
uses domestic violence as a stimulus. Would I have been allowed to
present that work?<br>
</p>
<p>Frankly, I wasn't aware that sexual harassment at conferences is
such a big problem. Of course I believe you that it is, as a man I
just haven't noticed that. And I gather from Kristin's message
that there is some pressure from your universities. But please
don't forget that we are, in a positive sense, a global
association, with many people from various cultures, with
different standards with respect to body contact, verbal
interaction, etc. (e.g. what's considered a "compliment" in some
cultures counts as harassment in others; being German, I'm just
another puritan in this respect, don't worry; but it's not just us
Americans, Germans, Australians etc.).</p>
<p>Volker<br>
</p>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 20/11/17 19:02, Kristine Hildebrandt
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAPro=TrYnooCX-OmkMo8VBN78sm-ZZ-6sM-L8_Sci8Cp8k-FVA@mail.gmail.com">
<div dir="ltr"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">I
respectfully disagree with Martin, although his comments (and
David's) regarding unclarity do resonate with me. And this
response comes from me personally, as an ALT member, and not
as an Officer.</font>
<div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><br>
</font></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">As an employee of a U.S./North American university, I'm obliged to go through mandatory annual trainings and periodic refreshers on what constitutes harassment/assault (sexual or other), how to "not do it", how to spot it when it might be happening to me/a colleague/a student, and what to do about that if I do suspect it (as a faculty member in the U.S. I'm actually under a legal obligation to <i>not</i> do <i>nothing</i>). I've found that there are so many definitions (often constructed as examples), so many nuances, so many lines that may or may not be crossed, that the whole experience can be somewhat dizzying and mind-numbing. But: I also feel from a woman's perspective, and this moves me beyond U.S. bounds--and I've also lived and worked in enough places now to be able to say this--that this very vagueness in *just what harassment is*, and the resulting back-stepping from dealing with it (even via symbolic language), is one reason why harassment/assault/discriminat<wbr>ory and predatory practice has managed to go on for so long and perpetuate, evolve, and expand in such insidious ways. As if to say: "If we can't pinpoint it, we can't deal with it". That's unacceptable to me.</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">
</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">I do also (again respectfully) disagree somewhat with David's observation that "most of us are good people who sometimes make mistakes...a few are rotten apples". I engage in no finger pointing, here. In my own personal encounters as a professional, I've only ever encountered the good people. But my world of professional interaction is only a very small subset, and I've heard enough accounts from other reliable colleagues from many backgrounds to know that they could have benefited from the presence of such codes, even if largely symbolic in power. It matters. I have been pleased to see codes of conduct slowly making their appearance in other Associations, even if their language does raise discussion about interpretation and application.</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">
</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">The challenge of vague terminology and cross-cultural variations in interpretations should not prevent this code from becoming a part of the ALT statues. Vagueness in terms of consequences, for example, can easily be fleshed out by the organizing committees and institutions putting together the meeting. In the U.S. we can turn to the policies held at the university level for guidance, for example. </font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b>
</b></font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b>I recommend a 'yes' vote.</b> If a 'no' vote does prevail, then I hope it is simply because the language here needs refinement and people are open to that process. I do urge ALT members <b>not</b> to simply assume that this Association (or any other) gets to 'opt out' of this issue, so I would welcome some discussion on this towards crafting revised language, either online or during a special session, language </font></span><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap">that </span><i style="color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap">can</i><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"> eventually be adopted formally.</span><br>
</div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">
</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">And finally, I especially disagree with Martin that this ballot item and vote distracts from other (equally/more) important issues before ALT. I think we can take on/discuss/take action on any number of issues, even simultaneously. A code of conduct statement has nothing to do (in my mind) with a failure to take other steps to make other participants feel welcome within the Association and related events. I just don't see how this step precludes other discussions on other matters aimed at making ALT a more inclusive organization. Granted, my history here is shallow, and I don't always get to attend the meetings or be in all of the discussion loops. Perhaps there have been failed initiatives in the past and I'm oblivious to these, but with successive officer/EC/membership changes through time, we can (and should) revisit them. So it will perhaps be with this vote!</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">
</font></span></div>
<div><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.12px;white-space:pre-wrap"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks for hearing me, and I do appreciate all positions and perspectives on this important issue.</font></span></div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 8:09 AM, Martin
Haspelmath <span dir="ltr"><<a
href="mailto:haspelmath@shh.mpg.de" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">haspelmath@shh.mpg.de</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> 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="m_-1868194241076609119moz-cite-prefix">On
20.11.17 14:24, Kristine Hildebrandt wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<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 class="m_-1868194241076609119gmail-survey-link
m_-1868194241076609119gmail-ng-binding"
href="https://siue.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6id2p5qEU7W3tzf"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">https://siue.co1.qualtrics.<wbr>com/jfe/form/SV_<wbr>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>
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<div dir="ltr">Orche<br>
('Thanks' in Manange)
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<i>Kristine A. Hildebrandt</i></div>
<div><i style="font-size:12.8px">Associate
Professor, <a
href="http://www.siue.edu/artsandsciences/english/"
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">Department
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Literature</a></i><i><br>
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<div><i>Secretary, <a
href="http://www.linguistic-typology.org/"
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">Association
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</i></div>
<div><i>Editor, <a
href="http://escholarship.org/uc/himalayanlinguistics"
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">Himalayan
Linguistics</a></i></div>
<div><span style="font-size:small">Check
out our </span><a
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style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:small" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">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>
<a
href="tel:%28618%29%20650-3991"
value="+16186503991"
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">618-650-3991</a>
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<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"> <br>
<pre class="m_-1868194241076609119moz-signature" cols="72">--
Martin Haspelmath (<a class="m_-1868194241076609119moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:haspelmath@shh.mpg.de" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">haspelmath@shh.mpg.de</a>)
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
Kahlaische Strasse 10
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&
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-- <br>
<div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
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<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<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
href="http://www.siue.edu/artsandsciences/english/"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">Department
of English Language & Literature</a></i><i><br>
</i></div>
<div><i>Secretary, <a
href="http://www.linguistic-typology.org/"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">Association
for Linguistic Typology</a><br>
</i></div>
<div><i>Editor, <a
href="http://escholarship.org/uc/himalayanlinguistics"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">Himalayan
Linguistics</a></i></div>
<div><span style="font-size:small">Check out
our </span><a
href="https://mananglanguages.isg.siue.edu/"
style="color:rgb(17,85,204);font-size:small" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">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
href="mailto:khildeb@siue.edu"
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">khildeb@siue.edu</a><br>
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