Explore your biases with Sunny Bergman
Schedule
Tue, 09 May, 2023 at 07:30 pm
Location
TU Eindhoven | Eindhoven, NB
Are you really as open-minded as you think you are? The once very stereotypical ‘technical student’ or ‘STEM employee’ is nowadays way more diverse, but do all these different personalities feel welcome in our TU/e community? With documentary maker, critical thinker, and activist Sunny Bergman, we will discuss her work in which stereotypes and judging ‘the other’ are a regular focus. She invites you to take a critical look at your own views and biases towards your peers. Together we will explore how to put an open attitude into practice.This program is jointly organized by TINT and Studium Generale.
At TU/e, we are striving to become a community that is inclusive towards everyone – students and staff – regardless of gender, race, lineage, culture, sexuality, or belief. Many of us want to be open-minded, and we often presume we are, but how open-minded are we really? A closer look reveals we all have our prejudices and are prone to judge quickly. If we want everyone to feel welcome at our university and be involved in student life, we need to become aware of our biases in order to change patterns of thought and behavior. Quite a challenge!
Sunny Bergman is a documentary maker, writer, reporter, and activist who has published several much talked-about documentaries, articles and books on racism, sexuality, inclusion, and diversity and is renowned for exploring these topics with an open mind. E.g. the documentaries Beperkt Houdbaar [Over the Hill], Wit is ook een kleur [The colour white] and The Sunny side of sex; in April 2023, the book Mijn Nazi-opa (My Nazi grandfather) about her family history and intergenerational trauma was published. In an interview, we dive into her recent and previous work. We will discuss what drives her in her work (self-examination as a regularly used starting point), how she manages to spark social debate on sensitive issues, and what insights she has into stereotyping and judging ‘the other’. Through interactive exercises and conversations, you will explore your own biases. What are the changes you want to see? What do you need to empower yourself to make those changes? Share your experiences and think aloud.
Less open-minded people – which is probably all of us – who are eager to become unbiased creatures are, of course, very welcome to attend this evening as well! ;)
Where is it happening?
TU Eindhoven, De Zaale, Eindhoven, Netherlands
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