Description
The climax of the project is an international conference on social inclusion, diversity and citizenship. The project is an indirect result of a partnership established in 2009 during a research visit in Trondheim, and responds to the need for an exchange of experiences and good practices regarding the issues mentioned above. The main purpose is to exchange experience of social inclusion, but also on research and ethics. This conference should forge stronger cooperation between the institutions and persons professionally interested in the field of social inclusion (expert network). The expert network’s operation will be supported through the project website, where conference proceedings will be published. Collegium Civitas, as the applicant, will be responsible for the smooth implementation of the project. The role of NTNU, as partner, will be to focus on subject-matter cooperation in the analysis of the CFP, the creation of the conference program and in its conducting.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the need to exchange experience in the field of inclusion of various social groups. The idea to collaborate within the field of “inclusive society” was an indirect result of an individual research cooperation established in 2009. The project’s results will be sustained by strengthening research network of researchers etc. interested in social inclusion and publishing conference materials (book of abstracts, video from the conference). The project’s main objective was to organize a scientific international conference, titled “Inclusive Society: Poland, Norway, Europe”, held in Warsaw (Collegium Civitas premises) between 6th and 7th October 2014. The conference established an opportunity to exchange academic knowledge, research and practice in the field of social inclusion. It brought together researchers from various countries and academic backgrounds. Academics, researchers and practitioners of social inclusion were main beneficiaries of the project. They were invited to participate (both active and passive) in the conference. Keynote speeches at the conference: prof. Jan Zielonka (St Anthony’s College, Oxford University) - “Europe as a Community of Equals?”; What is inclusion?, prof. Jan Tøssebro (NTNU Social Research) - “Deinstitutionalization and social inclusion in Nordic countries”; prof. Unnur Dís Skaptadóttir (University of Iceland) - “Does immigrants‘ participation in the labor market imply social inclusion?”; prof. Michał Bilewicz (Institute of Psychology, Warsaw University) - “Dehumanization as a psychological obstacle in formation of an inclusive society”; prof. Aleksander Manterys (Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Science) - “Inclusive society: social order, deinstitutionalization, normalization”. Sessions: Inclusive and exclusive practices, Chair: prof. Rafał Pankowski (Collegium Civitas); Migrations and Minorities, Chair: prof. Sławomir Łodziński (Warsaw University); Social capital, democracy and social inclusion, Chair: Xymena Bukowska, Phd (Collegium Civitas); Media and social inclusion, Chair: Prof. Jan Tøssebro (NTNU Social Research); Inclusive public space, Chair: Monika Nowicka (Collegium Civitas); How to inquire social inclusion and exclusion? Chair: Anna M. Kittelsaa, PhD (NTNU Social Research). There is no project website.
Summary of bilateral results
The partner Institution's (NTNU Social Research) employees collaborated with regards to conference planning, proposal evaluations and during the conference (chairing keynote speeches, sessions and research workshop for PhD students and young researchers). Dissemination of information about the conference among Norwegian researchers and academics was possible thanks to the partner institution. Employees of NTNU Social Research are experts in the field of "disability research" and social inclusion. Therefore they introduced into the project Norwegian experience and academic expertise concerning "inclusive society". The donor partner (NTNU Social Research) strengthened the cooperation with Collegium Civitas. Its employees had an opportunity to present their achievements in Poland. The project partnership has brought the bilateral cooperation to a more complex level - from individual projects to institutional cooperation. It is expected to continue cooperation in the field of social inclusion, disability research etc. Especially when the conference has shown the importance of this topic.