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"STOP discrimination by language" - educational initiative of the Department of Social Assistance

"STOP discrimination by language" - educational initiative of the Department of Social Assistance

The West University of Timișoara, through the Department of Social Assistance from the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, together with the Association of the Mothers' Academy in Timișoara (AMT - CCAS), will launch an initiative that aims to progressively eliminate from the public space some words that emphasize the state of marginalization of some socially disadvantaged people.

Not infrequently, inappropriate wording is used in the media, on blogs, vlogs, in the statements of decision-makers, etc. Situations of incorrect use of the language of social assistance can raise issues related to the areas of discrimination, racism, marginalization of vulnerable individuals and groups.      

The project consists of a monitoring and recording of information from the public space (online press, broadcasts, TV debates, etc.) carried out by 12 students from the Social Assistance specialization within the UVT, in order to identify formulations such as those presented above. In a later stage, letters will be sent, by email or in physical format, to all those who use such expressions, indicating the correct wording, with the request to use these variants in the future. Also, teaching staff from the Department of Social Assistance from the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology of UVT will organize free courses for the ethical use of language, addressed to journalists, opinion leaders, spokespersons, etc. Actions to award public figures who correctly use references about vulnerable people are also being considered.

It must be stated that this reality is based on sociological research carried out since 2006 at the Department of Social Assistance from UVT, identifying at the national level hundreds of situations in which the state of marginalization is accentuated by the use of incorrect and unethical language. The initiative of this project can be considered a safeguarding of the terminology in the field of social assistance and protection.

For information and data about this project, please contact the Department of Social Assistance at the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, responsible for the project, Prof. Univ. Dr. Cosmin Goian (cosmin.goian@e-uvt.ro) or university lecturer dr. Carmen Stanciu (carmen.stanciu@e-uvt.ro ).

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