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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT AND FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS<BR><BR>Mediating Multilingualism: Meanings and Modalities<BR><BR>University of Jyväskylä, Finland<BR>June 2-5, 2008<BR><BR>Invited speakers: <BR><BR>- Jan Blommaert (University of London / University of Jyväskylä)<BR>- Diane Mavers (University of London) <BR>- Ben Rampton (University of London)<BR>- Steven Thorne (Pennsylvania State University)<BR>- Crispin Thurlow (University of Washington)<BR><BR>Deadline for abstracts: January 15, 2008<BR>Guidelines for submission:<BR><A href="https://ruby1604.utsa.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/conference2008/en" target=_blank>http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/conference2008/en</A><BR><BR>Description of the conference:<BR><BR>In today’s globalized world of mobilities and flows, multilingualism is<BR>increasingly an everyday phenomenon that people encounter and have to<BR>cope with in work, education, institutions, leisure time and media uses,<BR>for example. In these various contexts, multilingualism can be mediated<BR>not only by languages, but also by a range of other semiotic means such<BR>as genres, discourses, styles, embodied action and visuality. <BR><BR>At the same time multilingualism is a mediational system in itself,<BR>sustaining, but also mobilizing and reorganizing language user<BR>identities, relationships and possibilities for action and the relative<BR>values of languages. Multilingualism can thus have repercussions in<BR>terms of what resources and possibilities individuals and groups have to<BR>agency and participation.<BR><BR>The conference on Mediating Multilingualism approaches mediation and<BR>multilingualism from this double perspective: in its focus are the<BR>different ways and means for mediating multilingualism, as well as<BR>multilingualism as a mediational system. The aim is to shed light on the<BR>complexities of this relationship and to develop new ways of<BR>investigating and understanding the roles, meanings and modalities of<BR>mediation in multilingual settings. To this end, the conference aims at<BR>bringing together researchers, students, teachers and other<BR>practitioners who share an interest in exploring the interface between<BR>mediation and multilingualism as a particular linguistic, social,<BR>cultural and ideological contact zone where the meanings of languages,<BR>identities and relationships are reassessed and renegotiated.<BR><BR>The conference is organized at the University of Jyväskylä as the 26th<BR>Summer School of Applied Language Studies. It will consist of invited<BR>keynote lectures, workshops and paper sessions. The topics of the<BR>keynote lectures and workshops will be announced later.<BR><BR>Call for papers:<BR><BR>Submissions are solicited for 20-min. papers and posters relating to the<BR>conference theme. Studies on any languages and disciplinary takes (e.g.<BR>sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, discourse studies,<BR>pragmatics, ethnography, and language learning and teaching) are<BR>welcome. The main working language of the conference is English.<BR>Individual papers and posters can be presented in other languages, but<BR>no interpretation services are automatically provided by conference<BR>organization. Young scholars are encouraged to contribute; five<BR>postgraduate students from non-EU countries will be excused fthe conference fee (applications to be included in the online<BR>registration form, to appear on the conference website).<BR><BR>Abstracts in English (max. 300 words) should be submitted via<BR>‘submission’ on the conference website<BR><A href="https://ruby1604.utsa.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/conference2008/en" target=_blank>http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/conference2008/en</A>. The deadline<BR>for submissions is January 15, 2008. All submissions will be reviewed;<BR>notification of acceptance March 15, 2008.<BR><BR>For further information, see the website:<BR><A href="https://ruby1604.utsa.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/conference2008/en" target=_blank>http://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/conference2008/en</A><BR><BR><BR>The Organizing Committee<BR><BR>Sirpa Leppänen, Päivi Pahta, Hannele Dufva, Sari Pietikäinen, Tarja<BR>Nikula, Sirkka Laihiala-Kankainen, Samu Kytölä, Marianne Toriseva, Tiina<BR>Virkkula, Satu Julin, Eeva Riipinen<BR><BR><BR>Contact: multilingualism(AT)jyu.fi<BR></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>--</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Francis M. Hult, Ph.D.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Assistant Professor</FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>University of Texas at San Antonio</DIV>
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<DIV>Web: <A href="http://faculty.coehd.utsa.edu/fhult/">http://faculty.coehd.utsa.edu/fhult/</A></FONT></DIV>
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