The INAF Brera Astronomical Observatory is organizing a series of monthly meetings for 2026 on issues of gender, disability, identity, aesthetic pressure, and neurodivergence, entitled “Shades of Red for the Coexistence of Differences.”
Title for the third conference 2026: “Tangles of Possibilities: A Critical Reading of Neuro-Normativity”
Speaker: Dr. Stefania Donzelli – A trainer specializing in outdoor education, she brings her background as a social science researcher (PhD) and her field experience as a forest guide.
Date and Location: june 8, 2026 – 15:00 AM – At our headquarters in Merate – Via E. Bianchi 46.
Abstract: Every person, at birth, is a tangle of possibilities. Which of these possibilities takes shape also depends on how individual tendencies meet the norms and expectations of the context in which they grow. It is in this process—particularly visible and institutionalized during childhood—that neuro-normativity manifests itself: a pervasive social force that guides development, experience, behaviors, and relationships.
The seminar proposes to critically interrogate this force, making its presuppositions and effects visible, rather than assuming them as natural and necessary. It concludes with an invitation to self-inquiry as a situated practice, capable of revealing, in the contexts of life, study, and work, which forms of perception, thought, attention, and communication are facilitated—or marginalized—and with what effects. The goal is to build environments capable of embracing the diversity of experience.
The seminar will be held in Italian. The slides will be available in both Italian and English. The meeting will last two hours: one hour of presentations, followed by an hour for questions and discussion.
To focus on the participant’s experience, an interactive digital tool will be used in the initial part of the event, allowing everyone to contribute easily and anonymously. To report any accessibility concerns, please contact the DEA group at dea.oabr@inaf.it
