Policies

SAMEMES Policy on Harassment and Discrimination

The Swiss Association of Medieval and Early Modern English Studies (SAMEMES) is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for scholars of all career levels who wish to share ideas and engage in intellectual debates related to Medieval and early modern studies. Members and conference participants are expected to conduct themselves in a professional, respectable and non-discriminatory manner at all times, be it during formal panel sessions or at social events.

SAMEMES has a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, and all other forms of discrimination. Derogatory comments and acts that target an individual based on their age, disability, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated.

SAMEMES adopts an intersectional understanding of sex-based discrimination and defines sexual harassment as behaviours that intimidate, demean, humiliate or threaten someone on the basis of their sex. It includes making unwanted physical advances or inappropriate, offensive or unwelcome comments and remarks, the use of patronising gestures, language and forms of address, and the targeting of an individual on the basis of their gender or gender expression.

Those who experience discrimination at an event linked to the society are asked to please consult the named representative at the association’s biennial conferences, or the President, Vice- President, or Secretary of SAMEMES. SAMEMES endeavours to provide support to members who have experienced unwelcome behaviours at SAMEMES events and to impose meaningful sanctions on anyone engaging in the kinds of discriminatory behaviours defined above whilst attending SAMEMES events. Sanctions include but are not limited to informal resolution, the demand for formal apologies, suspension, and permanent expulsion from the society and future SAMEMES events.