Listening to the Voices of Persons with Dementia

Central to the modern liberal democracy is the possibility of citizens to make their voice heard in discussions, debates and by writing in public forums. People living with communicative disabilities often become marginalized, even have their human rights denied, as they have profound difficulties making their voice heard. Dementia not only implies communicative disabilities but also cognitive challenges. This talk addresses the ways in which the voices of persons living with dementia might be heard, recognized and acknowledged. Including the voices of persons with communicative and cognitive challenges presuppose a critical awareness of the – sometimes implicit – communicative norms that often prevail in Western democracies concerning for instance authorship, rationality and coherence. Learning to listening “with a third ear” could enhance the possibilities for the voices of the communicatively challenges to be socially included.

Moderated by Prof. Maria Medved

Sponsored by the George and Irina Schaeffer Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights and Conflict Prevention