Seven projects receive funding from Humanities' JEDI Fund
The Faculty of Humanities' Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Fund provides small grants to initiatives in support of diversity and inclusion, with specific emphasis on creating an inclusive learning environment.
The JEDI Fund was instated to contribute to the faculty’s D&I priorities outlined in the Work Plan, with a specific emphasis on education and the learning environment. All staff and students in the Faculty of Humanities were invited to apply and seven projects were selected received funding for 2022. Below you will find a description and a plan for each of the projects.
‘We received many high-quality applications and we are grateful that our academic community shows so much interest in creating and sustaining an inclusive learning environment’, policy officer Internationalisation and Diversity & Inclusion Aurelie van ‘t Slot says. ‘Applications were submitted by both students and staff members, including joint initiatives. The selection committee, consisting of Lobna Abdel-Latif, Suzé Klok and Astrid Van Weyenberg, really had its work cut out to make a well-considered decision on which projects to fund.’
Disability in Depth: Changing Perspectives
Many people within the Faculty of Humanities are studying and working with a certain disability. While disabilities disable, they also come with strengths. This project aims to produce tangible stories to inform and inspire all students and staff in Humanities, as well as policy makers. The strength of this project lies in its project team that combines relevant academic expertise, curricular embedding, digital storytelling competence and an extensive network of storytellers that study/work with a disability. By using Things That Talk as our publishing platform, which has proven its strength in unveiling humanities, narratives are told through the life of objects.
The project team consists of Fresco Sam-Sin (project lead Things that Talk), Hilde Visser (student MA Classics and Ancient Civilizations and core member of Access and Support Platform), Paul van Trigt (project Rethinking Disability, Institute for History) and Anne van der Linden (student assistant Things That Talk).
History and the Female Gaze: How the female view changed the writing of history
On International Women’s Day (Tuesday 8 March) the Historical Study Association wants to organize an event which elaborates on the influence of female historians on historiography and the importance of women’s history (gender history). The event will consist of two lectures by specialists in the field of gender studies. The first lecture will focus on the contribution female historians have made to the research on history. The second lecture will focus on the necessity of women as subject of study in historical research. After these two lectures there will be a panel discussion with the speakers and other invitees in the field of gender studies.
The project team consists of the board members of the Historical Study Association Leiden (HSVL): Inge Pronk (chair), Diura Bijlsma (secretary) and Elianne Koevoets (internal relations).
Helping Hand: Mutual Aid Group for Disabled and Chronically Ill Students
In cooperation with the ASP, this project aims to create a buddy system and ground the community of disabled and chronically ill students, both in The Hague campus and in Leiden. The project would help students connect with peers who would help them find their way around the Dutch healthcare system, find support in navigating your studies while disabled, and build a community. This project would facilitate, for example, non-Dutch speaking students finding a Dutch speaker to support them in a doctor’s appointment, new medication, etc. This would complement Fenestra’s services and offer a more informal space for students.
This project will be led by Leonor Albuquerque Amaral (student BA International Studies) in cooperation with the Access and Support Platform.
Upsetting Binaries and Hierarchies: Queer Labor Economics
The labour market is shaped by cis-heteronormative, patriarchal norms and discursive practices, determining what work is and how it is valued. While feminist economics has helped raise awareness about gender gaps in the labour market, it can benefit from studying dissident sexualities and gender identities. The approach to understanding LGBTQIA+ employment, related inequalities, and income gaps have received attention within the Queer Economics literature. This project furthers this approach and considers gender identities and/or sexual orientation in analysing labour, problematising binary constructions. By shifting the focus to heteronormativity, we study how this concept perpetuates social hierarchies and employment outcomes.
The project team consists of María Gabriela Palacio Ludeña (Institute for History), Eduardo Alves Vieira (Centre for Linguistics), Texel in 't Veen (student BA International Studies) and Thomas Grant (student ResMA Latin American Studies).
Making Diversity and Inclusion Public
The minor programme “Gender and Sexuality in Society and Culture” provides students with a basis for thinking about issues of diversity and inclusion, but it doesn’t yet provide them with the tools to put these insights into practice outside of the university or in their future careers. This project aims to set up a course that teaches students of the minor to organize public events, such as debates or film screenings, that centre on diversity and inclusion. This should both further the debate on D&I at Leiden University and provide students with important transferable skills for their future careers.
The project team consists of Looi van Kessel and Frans-Willem Korsten (Centre for the Arts in Society).
Peer Support Group for Trans and Non-Binary Students
Free, confidential, monthly peer support group organized by and for students who identify as trans and non-binary. It’s a saf(er) space for students to share their experiences, resources and coping strategies to reduce the impact of hardship that students are going through. The sessions are facilitated by students who are trained by professionals from Care: Support Group of the Stichting Our Body Our Voice. Peer facilitators do not treat or give advice but take on the role of empathising and listening to their peers. We hope to build a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for trans and non-binary students in the Faculty of Humanity of Leiden University and beyond.
The project team consists of Iris van Egten (student BA Urban Studies and representative of the Student Advisory Group D&I) and Jules Capdouze (student BA Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges and Chair of LUC Diversity: LGBTQ+). The project will be implemented in cooperation with Queer Leiden University.
Queer Arts Exhibition by Students
The first and only queer art exhibition by students from the Faculty of Humanity. This project aims to contribute to equal opportunity for queer students by giving them the opportunity to gain practical experience by organising an exhibition. Through this exhibition, queer students from the Faculty of humanity can showcase their arts and talent to the public. In collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts, students will also be exposed to a network of professional artists in the Netherlands. We want to create a safe space for young, queer artists to express themselves and for queer students to be able to experience art that represents them.
The project team consists of Zofia Wydra (BA Arts, Media and Society) and Amix Muon (MSc Public Administration and President of Queer Leiden University).
