Code of Conduct

It is our priority to ensure that DiGRA 2025 is an inclusive, welcoming, and safe event for all participants. Particularly in the light of the DiGRA Diversity Collective Statement, and the DiGRA Executive Board’s subsequent response, it is our goal to build upon policies and initiatives that the organization has nurtured in the past to foster diversity, equity and inclusion; to reflect the measures that have already been undertaken and promised by the Board to address past shortcomings; and, wherever possible, to reflect our values of diversity and inclusivity in the implementation of concrete practices and organizational measures to make sure no-one who wishes to attend DiGRA 2025 will feel unwelcome. We invite the contributions of the DiGRA community in offering suggestions and feedback in this regard.

Below is an edited version of the DiGRA Code of Conduct. For more information, please visit DiGRA's website.

Statement of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity

DiGRA affirms its commitment to the principles of academic freedom, equity of opportunity, human dignity, and diversity and inclusivity. This means actively seeking and supporting different peoples, their voices, and their perspectives and fighting discrimination on the basis of race, age, sex, culture, disability, ethnicity or nationality, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, weight, marital status, religious affiliation, caste, socioeconomic status, or other aspects that have been the premise of historic or contemporary disenfranchisement. As an organisation committed to scholarly research, DiGRA acknowledges the extensive academic literature on discrimination and inequality, as well as the existence of such systemic oppressions in academia. The organisation is actively working towards addressing barriers to equal participation in DiGRA publications, colloquia and forums (whether online or in person). DiGRA’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity places expectations on all DiGRA members to create safer spaces and better practices in their interactions to move beyond academic traditions of exploitation and exclusion.

Scholarship benefits from the inclusion of a range of voices, perspectives, and forms of knowledge. A lack of such diversity is not a historical accident: it signifies abiding ignorance in the heart of institutions that pledge themselves to the creation of knowledge. Indeed DiGRA, particularly the feminist scholars and critics who are members of the organization, has been the target of reactionary forces in the wider culture. These experiences are often intensified by systemic precarity and institutional imbalances of power. Challenging systemic biases, reducing harms and making the spaces in which we work welcoming to as many groups as possible is difficult but necessary work.

Fostering Safer Spaces

We are committed to actively fostering a welcoming environment whether online or offline, formal or informal. Here we are guided by the following principles.

A rigorous intellectual environment is premised on respect: Allow everyone to speak without speaking over others. Use the pronouns shared by the individual. Seek consent before capturing images or videos, and before sharing an individual’s content online. Actively listen and learn from the experiences of others and engage constructively with their ideas, particularly those most marginalized in society. Support indigenous peoples’ teachings, worldviews, and ways of knowing, especially in places with histories of settler colonialism.

All members of the community are responsible for fostering inclusion. In addition to not using sexist, racist, heterosexist, cissexist, ableist, classist, casteist, or otherwise derogatory language, this means being open to accepting and processing criticism in a non-defensive manner. It also includes community accountability in recognizing where harms have been done and seeking to promote a collegial environment for all.

Inclusivity excludes exclusionary behaviour. DiGRA does not condone actions or behaviours that intentionally or unintentionally exclude members of the community. This can take many forms such as making people feel unsafe or unwelcome in DiGRA; dismissing or minimizing the value of disciplines, knowledges, and creative or applied practices; and targeting members for harassment, among others. These behaviours are not tolerated in our community.

Any form of sexual harassment within DiGRA’s community is strictly prohibited. Such forms include, but are not limited to: verbal harassment and inappropriate sexual comments; deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following; inappropriate and/or unsolicited physical contact; unwelcome sexual attention or sexual advances; harassing or intrusive photography or recording without permission; using a position of authority to coerce or groom people for manipulation or harassment; or advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

In some cases it is preferable to deal with problems privately and/or anonymously. Depending on the situation, there are many methods and means for addressing a concern ranging from mediated discussions to escalated public complaints. It is important to choose the method that best addresses the issue while protecting the person(s) raising the issue. Whether you are unsure of the best language to use in a situation, or have experienced something that made you feel unsafe in a DiGRA space, you can bring your questions, concerns, and complaints in confidence to the independent Ombuds team and/or the Diversity Working Group. The Diversity Working Group is a group of DiGRA members who actively advocate for diversity and difference within the organization, whereas the Ombuds team is independent of DiGRA leadership and can offer a greater level of confidentiality. We are here to educate as well as enforce these policies.

Diversity Feature List

DiGRA 2025 will strive for a full implementation of the Diversity Feature List specified in the DiGRA Code of Conduct for conference organizers, as listed below. Where possible, we aim to go above and beyond these requirements in order to create a space that is inclusive, safe and welcoming to everyone. Details about the specific implementation of these, and other, measures for diversity and inclusion will be provided closer to the conference date.

  • Pronoun stickers
  • Code of Conduct on website/conference site
  • Anonymous report form/emergency number, Ombuds Team information
  • All spaces wheelchair accessible
  • Gender neutral bathrooms
  • Flexible private spaces (Such as for breastfeeding and prayer. Breastfeeding spaces should be optional and not required – participants should be able to breastfeed where they want to)
  • A parenting policy that states children are welcome at DiGRA events (though some particular panels, talks, and topics may be age inappropriate), and as much as possible designing social events that accommodate children
  • A policy for supporting indigenous scholars, teachings, and communities that includes and goes beyond land acknowledgment statements
  • Low stimuli room(s) for getting away from noise, crowds, over-stimulation- at least one private space and one for relaxation/breaks
  • An opt-in policy for being recorded/Tweeted (not assuming it is OK to Tweet someone’s talk, take photos, etc)
  • Contact info for people to report issues to, as well as a form for reporting issues

CONTACT US - soha.naveed@um.edu.mt