Let’s found an association! This idea came to mind to the founding members of the Diversity in Linguistics Association in autumn 2021. But what led to this idea?
In the beginning, there was the student council for linguistics and phonetics at the University of Cologne. At the turn of the year 2017/2018, Natascha, who is now on the advisory board of the association, came up with the idea of organising an international summer school on forensic linguistics. A big undertaking for a small student council, but Natascha and Dominic, who is now president of the association, take on the task. In summer 2018, the Summer School takes place for the first time; then in summer 2019 for the second time. In the meantime, Janina, now vice president, has also joined the group. The summer school takes place for the third time in the summer of 2021. Shortly afterwards, Dominic, Janina and Natascha decide to found an association.
An association just for a summer school? Is that even worth the effort? Fortunately, we don’t have to answer this question. At the time of the founding, the association not only included the summer school, but also a workshop on statistics in linguistics. Where did that come from? Originally, the workshop started as a tutorial for applied statistics offered by the linguistics and phonetics student council at the University of Cologne. After a few such courses, a summer school workshop followed, and most recently two online workshops for national and international participants. Dominic and Janina have been running the workshop together since the beginning.
But that is not all. In addition to the summer school and statistics workshops, a newly started talk series is also part of the newly founded association. In the talk series “Diversity in Linguistics”, the association pursues its general goal: To provide a place for diversity in linguistics. With this new event, the association will start into the future; hopefully with you as a member!
Structure of the Association
The structure of the association is – as is usual for associations (“Vereine”) in Germany – laid down in the statutes. The Association for Diversity in Linguistics recognises two board positions, three seats on the advisory board, and the group of general members. Members without offices who wish to be mentioned by name online are listed here, as are those who hold offices.
Association's Board

President
Dominic Schmitz

Vice President
Janina Esser
Advisory Board

Advisory Board Member
Katharina Sternke

Advisory Board Member
Viktoria Schneider

Advisory Board Member
Lisa Brandt
Ethics Committee

Ethics Officer
Natascha Rohde
Members
Muhadj Adnan, Zoe Anna Niahm Alter, Annalisa Arcidiacono, Marina Benekou, Ricarda Billig, Daria Bogatova, Alexander Clemen, Andrea S. Curran, Dennis Dahlhausen, David Dankwa-Apawu, Marie del Mar Galindo Merino, Jeconiah Dreisbach, Alice J. Ellwood, Marie Engemann, Ayesha Farooq, Paulina Odeth Flores Bañuelos, Rene-Christian Foidl, Bastian Fuchs, Deia Ganayim, Christopher Geissler, Alona Golubchik, Lisa-Pearl Gyasi, Ann-Sophie Haan, Aaricia Herygers, Rachid Iseksioui, Kleopatra Karapanagiotou, Max Kronen, Alexandra Krüger, Lisa Marie Lang, Diana Lepka, Laura Levstock, Anne Lützeler, Japhet Manzano, Deepak J. Mashru, Erdin Mujezinović, Amna Naseeb, Jessica Nieder, Gwanghun Park, Maike Park, Alisa Pasanen, Naomi Peck, Milanka Peric, Isabel Picornell, Annika Miriam Rabenau, Verena Rasp, Zachi Einna Reyes Orquijo, Jasmin Pfeifer, Justyna Beata Rokosz, Basiru Umar Said, Lea Sarnow, Viktoria Schneider, Christopher Schulz, Christina Ines Schwarz, Azianura Hani Shaari, Nurtimhar A. Shahaji, Anna Sophia Stein, Simon David Stein, Linda D. Steppan, Andrea Streckenbach, Annika Tjuka, Sol Tovar, Haris Trgo, Ruben van de Vijver, Emmanuel Uwambayinema, Lena Völkening, Lars Vorberger, Niklas Wiskandt, Maxi Nora Wittmaack, Anastasia Yablokova, Victor Zimmermann

Partners
since 2021
since 2023
FörderLinK e.V., Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Association of Emerging Linguists (EL)
Previous Boards
Term 2021 - 2022
Association’s Board: Dominic Schmitz, Janina Esser
Advisory Board: Lisa Brandt, Natascha Rohde, Katharina Sternke