Seminar Participation Guidelines

Welcome to Incite Seminars! Our events offer a dynamic space for interrogating and integrating ideas through dialogue. We come together to make sense of rigorous & rebellious theories and explore what relevance they hold to transform our lives. All experiences and ways of knowing are welcome. We currently conduct our seminars on Zoom, a video conference platform. We have a few guidelines on how to use this tool and virtual space for a productive and enjoyable seminar experience. 

Note on Recording:

• The session will be recorded, with video pinned on whoever is speaking, and shared with our Patreon supporters
• With that in mind, we encourage you to do whatever you need to participate comfortably:
  • You can add a virtual background to hide your location
  • You can keep your video off (your voice will still be audible if you speak)
  • You can change your display name 
  • You can use the chat to ask questions and make comments if you prefer your voice not to be heard
• If you are able to and comfortable, we do encourage you to keep your camera on as it makes the seminar more intimate and warm

Some Community Agreements: 

• Please keep your microphone muted unless speaking
• Listen actively to whoever is sharing
• Follow & build on the energy of the group/conversation 
• Be generous with each other 
• Acknowledge your social location and modify participation accordingly, so those on the “downside of power” are encouraged to speak 
• Take care of your body as needed–our seminars can run a long time! Stay hydrated, stretch, feel free to eat a snack. 

There are Multiple Ways to Participate: 

• When the floor is open for discussion, you can raise your hand or speak if no one else is speaking
• Post a question in the chat and facilitator will invite you to elaborate
• Drop links, titles or names that were mentioned into the chat (anyone can do this to create a collective resource!)
• Avoid posting links to things not being directly discussed  
• Keep side discussions private 

Some Strategies to Move The Dialogue Forward: 

• Request and provide clarifications or examples
• Pose a question or challenge that you yourself are willing to engage in (do not “test” or attack anyone!) 
• Synthesize the developments of the discussion if you’ve noticed an interesting pattern or trajectory 
• Contribute a relevant idea/theory connection (be mindful of not bringing in ideas other people may not be familiar with; stay with the shared texts or be willing to explain the idea you’re bringing in)
• Illustrate the idea with a relevant personal story