Code of Conduct
Please read our full code of conduct before buying a ticket, discussing online and before coming to
the conference. But please don’t feel intimidated by it—these are simple rules, and they will make
life better for everyone at the conference.
Why do we have a CoC?
A goal of SoCraTes conference is to be inclusive and welcoming to attendees with the most varied and diverse backgrounds possible.
We are dedicated to create a conference where everybody can learn, teach, share, network and have a good time. This can only work if we are inclusive to the largest number of contributors, and if we create an environment, where everybody feels safe and welcome.
Yes, we value discussion and disagreement. And discussion can become heated. But there have to be rules, and there has to be a red line.
In this code of conduct, we lay out those rules and red lines.
Safe Environment
We are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, programming language, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religion (or lack thereof).
And so we invite all those who participate in SoCraTes, and the community surrounding the conference, to help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone. With your help, this conference can be a great experience for everyone!
- Treat everyone professionally. Everybody at the conference is a professional in their field. Treat all attendees as equals. Ask before you teach. Do not explain things without being asked. The person you are talking to right now might know more, or different things about the topic than you!
- Be welcoming, friendly, and patient. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Ask questions before jumping to conclusions.
- Be respectful. Not all of us will agree with each other all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for poor behavior and poor manners. We might all experience some frustration now and then, but we cannot allow that frustration to turn into a personal attack.
- Be aware of the effect your words may have on others. We are a community of professionals, and we conduct ourselves professionally. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other participants. Harassment and other exclusionary behavior aren’t acceptable.
- Be careful with jokes. We do not tolerate any CoC violations, even if “it was just a joke”.
- Admit when you do not know something. Encourage others to admit when they do not know something—and never joke about it. We are all here to learn.
- To get the most out of the conference, we recommend limiting your alcohol consumption to the evenings and nights. Be aware that there might be other guests in the venue who will be consuming during the day, especially if there is a wedding on. However, we can create alcohol free spaces if needed, please contact us!
CoC Violations
If you think someone has violated our code of conduct—even if you were not directly involved, like you just overheard a conversation—please:
- Let the person know that what they did is not appropriate and ask them to stop.
- Contact the organizers of SoCraTes (See contact details below).
But please give people the benefit of doubt. If there is even a slight chance that this was a misunderstanding (e.g. the person did not speak in their native language, and did not find the right words), try to sort it out in a friendly, constructive way.
When we learn about a CoC violations, organizers will hear both sides, and then take action we deem appropriate, such as:
- Give a warning
- Have a longer talk about our values
- Expel the perpetrator from the conference without a refund (requires two organizers to agree, if this was the first offence)
- Call the authorities
Unacceptable Behaviour
Unacceptable behaviour includes, but is not limited to:
- Harassment, and other exclusionary behaviour. Deliberate intimidation and threats.
- Aggressive or sexualized language and content. Unwanted sexual advances.
- Insulting or putting down other participants.
- Publishing or telling others, that a participant belongs to a particular identity channel without asking their consent first.
- “Well-actuallies”: Telling people what they “actually meant to say”.
- Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting.
Need Help
If you need help, have any further questions or have any other concerns, please contact a member of conference staff immediately.
This code of conduct applies to the SoCraTes conference itself, and to all digital spaces that are related to the SoCraTes conference, such as the wiki and mailing list.
Credits
These values are inspired by the following works.
What if I have more questions?
If you have any other questions please contact us directly.
