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https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02325-1
Very interesting re: codes of conduct at conferences. Interview features many people I respect, w/diverging views
My thoughts as someone who co-authored a code of conduct article ( https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2016.00103/full) and played lead role organizing 2 big confs:
Very interesting re: codes of conduct at conferences. Interview features many people I respect, w/diverging views
My thoughts as someone who co-authored a code of conduct article ( https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2016.00103/full) and played lead role organizing 2 big confs:
1. There's some disagreement among interviewees about what a code of conduct is for.
Let's envision 2 extremes: on one end, codes write down a list of rules that you get punished if you break.
Other end: They solve all diversity and inclusion problems
Let's envision 2 extremes: on one end, codes write down a list of rules that you get punished if you break.
Other end: They solve all diversity and inclusion problems
Done properly, a code is NOT the former.
A) Codes aren't there to be rigid rules. Rigidity just encourages bad actors to get as close to the line as possible without crossing it, and then making THAT the game.
A) Codes aren't there to be rigid rules. Rigidity just encourages bad actors to get as close to the line as possible without crossing it, and then making THAT the game.
B) Codes aren't just about punishing bad behaviour - they're also about laying out what GOOD behaviour looks like
C) The enforcement piece of a code cannot be too rigid because conference organizers are not courts! They can't be expected to do a fair investigation...
C) The enforcement piece of a code cannot be too rigid because conference organizers are not courts! They can't be expected to do a fair investigation...
...employ super rigorous due process, etc. It HAS to provide a wide range of options for organizers to handle situations. You HAVE to be able to respond flexibly - up to and including asking someone to leave. But you can't articulate if you do X, punishment Y occurs.
...If you do that, it ensures that the code will never be actually employed because you'll just spend all day arguing about whether something was punishable, etc.
D) Codes are there to lay all this out up front, so if you don't like it, you don't sign up. It's that simple.
D) Codes are there to lay all this out up front, so if you don't like it, you don't sign up. It's that simple.
So a good code is definitely more than a set of rules.
But you also can't solve *the totality of diversity and inclusion problems* with a meeting code of conduct. If you tried to do that, you'd certainly fail.
But you also can't solve *the totality of diversity and inclusion problems* with a meeting code of conduct. If you tried to do that, you'd certainly fail.
The article highlights some examples of non-inclusive practice - e.g. hosting a conference in Malaysia, where laws discriminate against LGBTQ.
Conference location selection is a *huge* issue that we have to be very careful with.
Conference location selection is a *huge* issue that we have to be very careful with.
Countries don't fall into clear boxes where they have totally good or bad laws, where conference organizers can easily say "this is an inclusive country" vs. not.
If you're not careful, you end up only holding conferences in affluent "western" nations
If you're not careful, you end up only holding conferences in affluent "western" nations
Conference organizers (in science at least) tend to take on these duties IN ADDITION to their core job. This means they're overtaxed, and usually, mostly unthanked for their work.
We *cannot* expect them to do defensible, comprehensive legal reviews of potential venues
We *cannot* expect them to do defensible, comprehensive legal reviews of potential venues
(aside: I happen to think we should select conference locations that minimize cumulative carbon footprint.
But that view is problematic. Because if you do that, you put conferences near where all the paying scientists are.
This is for another thread though)
But that view is problematic. Because if you do that, you put conferences near where all the paying scientists are.
This is for another thread though)
But let's get back to the "overtaxed organizers" issue. This passage jumped out at me.
These are a list of really good things that every conference should do. But most don't. Why not?
These are a list of really good things that every conference should do. But most don't. Why not?
In my (personal, non-data driven!) view:
1. Because organizing committees aren't diverse enough, you don't have people raising these issues.
2. Even if you do, there's just a lot to think about when organizing. "out of the box" conference packages have none of these things...
1. Because organizing committees aren't diverse enough, you don't have people raising these issues.
2. Even if you do, there's just a lot to think about when organizing. "out of the box" conference packages have none of these things...
...meaning that every decision TO ensure one of them requires an active decision is made with follow-through. And venues don't always take direction on this!
Let's use gender-neutral washrooms as an example. If you, as an organizer, want to have them at a conference, you must:
- Think to bring it up during planning
- Instruct your planner to bring it up with the venue
- When venue says "we don't do that," be ready to fight
- Think to bring it up during planning
- Instruct your planner to bring it up with the venue
- When venue says "we don't do that," be ready to fight
- Win the fight, or change venues
- In the week leading up to the event, go to the venue and inspect to make sure they actually did it
- on the day, see if the washrooms are still there
If you miss any of these, no washrooms. AND even if you do it all...
- In the week leading up to the event, go to the venue and inspect to make sure they actually did it
- on the day, see if the washrooms are still there
If you miss any of these, no washrooms. AND even if you do it all...
... the venue might go "lol sorry the gender neutral washrooms are out of order" on the day, and you're out of luck as an organizer
My point is - every one of these actions is "off by default" and you have to turn them on.
You SHOULD. But it's hard.
My point is - every one of these actions is "off by default" and you have to turn them on.
You SHOULD. But it's hard.
This is the point of the thread where I'd like to toss out ideas for some solutions.
I believe codes of conduct *are the minimum* to enable diversity and inclusion. I don't think it's fair to expect them to do everything. BUT, everything still needs to be done!
How?
I believe codes of conduct *are the minimum* to enable diversity and inclusion. I don't think it's fair to expect them to do everything. BUT, everything still needs to be done!
How?
1. The scientific enterprise desperately needs a brief "best practices" manual for meeting organization.
What are the key things that EVERY MEETING should have? This way, at meeting #1, the organizing committee can run through the checklist.
What are the key things that EVERY MEETING should have? This way, at meeting #1, the organizing committee can run through the checklist.
- What is the purpose of this conference?
- What type of meeting best accomplishes the purpose?
- Is everyone in the room right now who needs to be in the room? Who are we missing?
Then when you're ready to plan the meeting...
- What type of meeting best accomplishes the purpose?
- Is everyone in the room right now who needs to be in the room? Who are we missing?
Then when you're ready to plan the meeting...
Checklist
- Publicly stated pro-breastfeeding policy
- Caregiver passes
- Gender-neutral washrooms
- Pronouns on badges
- Find appropriate land acknowledgment
- Ensure bus pass included with conference registration
- Make code of conduct
etc. etc.
- Publicly stated pro-breastfeeding policy
- Caregiver passes
- Gender-neutral washrooms
- Pronouns on badges
- Find appropriate land acknowledgment
- Ensure bus pass included with conference registration
- Make code of conduct
etc. etc.
Then, for selecting the location:
What is our audience? Who will be coming to this? Where do we need to put it to achieve the conference mission?
*who will we be excluding by holding it in location X, Y, or Z?* Because SOMEONE will be excluded!
What is our audience? Who will be coming to this? Where do we need to put it to achieve the conference mission?
*who will we be excluding by holding it in location X, Y, or Z?* Because SOMEONE will be excluded!
How can this be weighed appropriately?
It would be *awesome* if there was a prepared resource that ppl could defer to on this. A single place that gave an at-a-glance overview of the legal landscape of each place *INCLUDING* which countries are hard to get into passport-wise
It would be *awesome* if there was a prepared resource that ppl could defer to on this. A single place that gave an at-a-glance overview of the legal landscape of each place *INCLUDING* which countries are hard to get into passport-wise
Yes, that's right folks - your friendly affluent rich countries with inclusive laws might end up being *really hard* to get into for people with certain passports.
That, too, excludes.
That, too, excludes.
So, in summary...
1. We really need a best-practices handbook for conference organizing that ppl can simply pick up and follow. Should have all this (and more) as a checklist.
(btw, this is why we did Code of Conduct paper a while back - so that CODES could be easily adopted)
1. We really need a best-practices handbook for conference organizing that ppl can simply pick up and follow. Should have all this (and more) as a checklist.
(btw, this is why we did Code of Conduct paper a while back - so that CODES could be easily adopted)
2. It would also be valuable, for international meetings, to do up some sort of review of who gets excluded (legally) when conferences are held in each country. Allows for a more objective debate when selecting sites.
All this assumes the "big science conference" model is one we all decide to return to post-pandemic.
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