We live in times when the word ‘barbarian’ is once again being used – often without actually being spoken – to separate ‘us’ from ‘them’: those who come from afar, those who speak another language, those fleeing war, poverty, persecution, or those simply seeking a more dignified life.

In this session of ‘Readings in Diversity’, taking the topic ‘Awaiting the Barbarians’ as our starting point, we will listen to texts which, in different ways, confront us with fear, borders, suspicion and the invention of the enemy. These texts speak of empires, cities, fortresses and deserts, but above all they speak of us. They speak of waiting for a threat that may never come, or that may have been created to justify walls, violence and indifference. Today, as we see hate speech against immigrants and refugees on the rise, these readings take on a sense of urgency. Literature helps us to dismantle that dangerous word, ‘barbarians’, and to realise that, very often, true barbarism lies not in those who arrive, but in those who fail to recognise humanity in the face of the other.

In this 13th session of the ‘Readings in Diversity’ series, we invite you to take part as if you were joining a much-needed conversation. It is not merely a reading: it is a gathering, an opportunity to listen, reflect, question and become less prone to fear and more open to empathy. Because reading in diversity is also about learning to live in diversity, and at a time when so many seek to turn differences into threats, coming together around words can be a simple yet powerful form of resistance, acceptance and hope.

Participants

João Simões - Centre for Social Studies Human Resources Technician
Danielle Lima - PhD candidate in the ‘Human Rights in Contemporary Societies’ doctoral programme
Irina Castro - Science and Technology Manager at the Foundation for Science and Technology
Manuel Quitanda - PhD candidate in Contemporary History at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Coimbra
Arthur Andrade - Centre for Social Studies Visiting Researcher
Joana Sousa Ribeiro - Centre for Social Studies Researcher
Cristiano Gianolla - Centre for Social Studies Researcher 

Free entrance