vailsymposium

What words do we use and how do we use them? Who gets to say what and who decides? In an era when we are at times becoming more aware of renaming places (i.e., removing “Squaw” and reassessing violent figures), we also seem less prone to check our language in other arenas, with extreme language showing up more frequently in politics and profanity appearing more generally. Norms of what is acceptable are changing rapidly. What becomes profane? Who gets the power to name the places we are in and how is the discourse of what we call ourselves (pronouns) being shaped?

We will cover some recent studies by universities. We will discuss the lessons learned from the separation words cause between individuals and other individuals or groups of people. How does language define us into a group or class? Does humor play a role? Most importantly, why does it matter and can we use the power of words to learn to listen to one another more openly?

Join Clay Jenkinson and a panel of experts in this Conversation on Controversial Issues about how the words we use shape the world we interact in every day.