Language rights, democracy, human rights | To belong – participation, having a say, co-decision-making

Daycare centres, schools and universities are places where many children and young adults experience participation. For some, however, they also involve experiences of exclusion and the feeling of not being able to participate or speak on an equal footing. In a seminar at the University of Duisburg-Essen, autobiographical language experiences were created on the topic of ‚Belonging – participating, having a say, co-deciding‘, which will be presented by the students as part of a reading.

Introduction by Prof Dr Judith Purkarthofer (University of Duisburg-Essen), followed by a discussion with student authors and prospective teachers.

Judith Purkarthofer works on multilingualism in families, schools and daycare centres and, after working in Vienna, Paris, Oslo and Berlin, is now Professor of German Linguistics at the University of Duisburg-Essen. She is interested in speakers and how they deal with their linguistic repertoires over the course of their lives.

Following the event, Café Historias invites you to continue the conversation in a cozy atmosphere.

The event is part of the series „Language Rights – Democracy – Human Rights“

Languages are the basis for understanding and participation. However, they can also be instrumentalised for the opposite: for exclusion and as an instrument of power. The series of events aims to raise awareness of the fact that human rights and democracy are also based on the acceptance and respect of all people with all their languages. The following questions are the common thread running through the events:

• What role does the use of languages play in the development of our democracy?
• What is the situation regarding language equality, particularly in the education system, and how should language rights be organised there?
• How can our society be shaped in a multilingual way?

Further events in the series will take place on 8 October 2026 and 15 October 2026.

An event organised by the Fritz Bauer Forum in cooperation with