© Sophie Herxheimer

Listening Without Borders

How do we encounter one another when our ideas, ideals and imaginations collide? Listening Without Borders is a commitment to ethical relationships and a method for social action, informed by interdisciplinary research, community work and creative practice. We are a growing network of members who seek to put the commitment and the method into practice for the common good of the communities in which we live.

What we do

  • Building Communities in Multilingual Spaces

    ‍An experiential programme for community leaders who want to understand ways in which linguistic diversity can connect rather than divide. We come together to explore creative possibilities for mobilising linguistic diversity for strengthening our local communities and making everyone’s experience, story and language count. ‍

  • Educating in Multilingual Spaces

    An experiential programme for educators wishing to explore the full potential of their linguistically diverse students and build inclusive communities in their schools and classrooms. We see linguistic diversity of our students and teachers as a resource and an asset for building meaningful educational relationships.

  • Listening Without Borders Research

    We draw on internationally recognised research that connects sociolinguistics, education, philosophy and arts. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council in the UK, the interdisciplinary project Ethics and Aesthetics of Encountering the Other investigated how people of diverse worldviews, visions and histories encounter their difference. Find out more about the underpinning research.

  • Listening Without Borders Method™

    The Listening Without Borders Method™ has grown from longstanding research and community relationships. We use it as a tool for building communities in settings of social division, educating in settings of linguistic marginalisation, researching across disciplinary boundaries and for deepening our everyday interactions. Check back soon to learn about the core principles and how you can use them in your practice. Get in touch if you’d like to be part of our forthcoming Pilot Community Labs.

  • Listening to Research Stories Otherwise

    We see research as the art of tuning in to people’s voices and stories and acting ethically on what we are taught. Sophie Herxheimer transforms her listening to research stories into poetry and painting ‘to nudge the consciousnesses of readers towards the irrefutable kinship that exists between all humans, our intrinsic need to be listened to.’ Anna Koptová listens in to bring the stories to life in the Romani language.

  • Language Education for Third Spaces

    A professional development programme for volunteers who teach multilingual students in community spaces. “Encounter: Language Education for Third Spaces” is a guide that helps volunteers develop their understanding and skills of teaching language in a way that is grounded in partnership, dignity, and mutual listening.

  • Discussing Identity, Difference and Belonging in Schools

    Developed in collaboration with Leeds Museums and Galleries, this resource is aimed at promoting constructive discussion around othering – the practice of recognising, and often labelling, someone as different from you. It helps pupils to engage with the subject matter in respectful and open ways.

What People Are Saying

“This workshop has helped me to realise that when we work with materials and activities that encourage and enable communication across our languages, we naturally bring the richness, experiences, and knowledge of diverse participants into the educational process. However, I came away with a clear sense that it is not sufficient simply to ‘permit’ this. In the context of the historical marginalization of minority languages, such “permission” requires active measures and intentional support.”

— NGO worker, Manager for Language Education

“The connection between ethics and language was a very important one. When we role-played examples from research data, it was amazing to see how well they captured the real life as I see and hear it in my own practice. But it also made me think that this is not just about language, it is about how people treat each other.”

— Nursery school teacher

“The overall atmosphere was like walking into a stranger’s living room and instead of awkward silence you are greeted with a hot cup of tea, the sound of laughter, and the kindness of open-hearted people.”

— Community facilitator

Interested?

Let’s Talk

There are many ways of collaborating with us, contributing to our network or participating in our professional development events. If Listening Without Borders matters in your own practice, we’d like to hear from you.