Du, Sie, and the “Universal”: Translating UDL Across Cultures

In this episode, Stewart Campbell and Lukas Fehling explore why translating the UDL Guidelines 3.0 is never “just language”, it’s culture, identity, and what Stewart Campbell calls a linguistic habitus. They unpack the real-world tension between the informal “Du” and formal “Sie” in German-speaking academic contexts where “distance equals neutrality” and how UDL’s focus on intentionality (not uniformity) creates room for authenticity and multiple pathways to engagement. The conversation then shifts to the grassroots momentum behind the emerging UDL network for German-speaking countries, the surprising weight of cross-country administrative startup work, and practical advice for anyone hoping to build a connected UDL community in their own region. An interactive transcript is available. It can be found by scrolling to Transcript and choosing View Transcript.