The Department of Linguistics, with support from several other units at the university, the National Science Foundation, and some local Detroit-based community organizations hosted the Formal and Experimental Advances in Sign Language Theory (FEAST) Conference from August 6th to 8th, 2024. Co-organized by Natasha Abner and Demet Kayabaşı, FEAST brought together scholars from around the globe to discuss research on sign languages.
Panel and Keynote Presentations
One of the highlights of the conference was the panel titled Crip Linguistics: A Panel in Honor of Dr. Jonathan Henner. Dr. Henner was a fierce advocate for inclusivity in linguistics and in academia more generally, and this panel in his memory served as a call to action for the linguistics community to continue his important work. The speakers on this panel, all of whom share Dr. Henner’s commitment to an inclusive linguistics, included
- Octavian Robinson (Gallaudet University)
- Erin Moriarty (Gallaudet University)
- Lina Hou (UC Santa Barbara)
- Anna Lim (Boston University)
Additionally, the conference included keynote addresses by two leading researchers in the field:
- Lorna Quandt (Gallaudet University)
- Mirko Santoro (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
Papers presented at FEAST 2024 are available in the open-access journal affiliated with the conference at this link.
Special Lecture: Sign Language and Deaf Culture in Croatia
Following the conference, Dr. Marina Milković from the University of Zagreb delivered an insightful talk on Sign Language and Deaf Culture in Croatia. She shared her expertise on the current state of deaf education in Croatia, which continues to emphasize an auditory-speech approach and spoken Croatian, although recent years have seen a shift toward more inclusive practices. Dr. Milković discussed policy changes aimed at addressing the needs of deaf children and their families, while implementing human rights protections for linguistic minorities.
