hauschkeJul 26, 2023

I am currently preparing for my first post-lockdown on-site conferences (besides one in my hometown).

The costs, the effort (family organisation, hotel search, logistics...), the travelling: I find it hard to justify. The more events that are held virtually, the better, cheaper, more CO2-efficient and, above all, more inclusive.

#ConferenceCulture #AcademicAirTravel #Inclusiveness #scholcomm

Show threadSebastian Karcher
@hauschke I don't think inclusivity is clear-cut here. There are definitely groups excluded by in-person conferences (and I agree going back to the status quo ante is bad), but there are also benefits to the type of community building that works best during in-person conferences (e.g., marginalized folks finding & socializing with others 'like them')
Jul 26, 2023 at 8:48amWeb
Show threadhauschkeJul 26, 2023

@adam42smith Yes, it's not clear-cut, and the grey area is certainly variable depending on the individual prerequisites. However, if there are children to organise, if there are considerable costs associated with conf participation, then a lot of people fall out.

Participation in virtual confs (with kids, from the homeoffice) is associated with quite specific other hurdles. And of course we should not forget the generally poorer opportunities for new people in the field to build up a network.