Izmir solidarity statement by the DHS Chair

6 September 2022

The Trustees of the Design History Society acknowledge the disquiet and anxiety felt by a number of its members regarding the 2022 DHS Annual Conference. The decision to hold the conference in Turkey was not taken lightly, and the Trustees share our members' deep concerns regarding, and condemnation of, the human rights record of the Turkish government towards the LGBTQIA+ community.

By holding the conference at the Izmir Institute of Technology we signal our wholehearted support for our academic and curatorial colleagues there, but this does not mean that we support the actions of the Turkish authorities. It is our hope that the conference will offer an important forum for the open dialogue and debate which we all hold so dear.