What does it mean to take up space in a world that is not always designed with everyone in mind? How can different living experiences change the way you think about a just society?
The Multivoiced Human Library – an initiative of the University of Humanistic Studies (UvH) – will be hosted at the University of Amsterdam as part of the course Disability Studies on 10 November. This Human Library is open to everyone. We bring people together as ‘living books’ to share their experiences of dis/ability.
As a visitor, you are invited to listen and ask questions in a short, personal conversation in a small group setting, always with mutual respect. You only ask questions you would be willing to answer yourself. A ‘book’ only shares what they choose to share.
In small parallel groups, you will have the opportunity to talk with people with living experience about dis/ability. The stories and conversations will be in English.
Why multivoiced?
We deliberately choose the term ‘multivoiced’ rather than ‘representative’. The books do not speak for the experience of queerness or dis/ability – doing so would fail to capture the diversity of lives and experiences encompassed by these terms. Being multivoiced is about the multiple, sometimes contrasting perspectives and stories that come together within a person’s own life. The speakers bring their own multivoicedness to the conversation. Together, the books show the many different ways in which dis/ability can take shape in people’s lives.
General program
- 17:00 Arrival with coffee and snacks
- 17:10 Introduction
- 17:30–19:10 Three 30-minute rounds, with short breaks in between
- 19:20–19:45 Wrap-up discussion
Location
The event will take place at the University of Amsterdam, Roeterseiland, Gebouw V: Valckenierstraat 61, 1018 GD Amsterdam.
This is a project funded by Vfonds (2025-2026) and organized by two chair groups from the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht: the chair Disability Studies and the chair Historical Memory and Transformative Justice.
