In November 2022, the CSLS, in collaboration with the Swiss Federation of the Deaf, organised the two-day public workshop Languages and Lives in Deaf Communities at Konsi Bern. The event offered students, researchers and a broader public audience an multifaceted introduction to the fields of Sign Language Sociolinguistics and D/deaf Studies. Consisting of 11 public lectures by Deaf Scholars, as well as a number of open discussion panels, the workshop covered a wide range of topics in current international research on language issues in D/deaf communities, and reflected on the specific situation of D/deaf communities in Switzerland. The event was held in multiple languages, including American Sign Language, International Sign, Deutschschweizer Gebärdensprache and spoken English.
The workshop was motivated by a comparative lack of work in sign language sociolinguistics in the Swiss context, and by the gap in scholarly discussions of the lived experiences of D/deaf communities in Switzerland. The event was unique in featuring a panel of all Deaf scholars and for creating a space for the exchange of knowledge and experiences across communities.
