Call for papers: Conflicts - Language Theory and Practice

[Alon Lischinsky]

(With apologies for cross-posting)

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Call for papers:

War and Peace in the Life of Language: A Symposium on the Role of Extra- and
Intralinguistic Conflicts in the Development of Language Theory and Practice

Location: University of Nottingham (UK campus)
Dates: 25th & 26th April 2014

Language often presents a battlefield upon which conflicts regarding the
“right” and “wrong” approaches to practice or theory are played out. The
prescribed norm of a standardised language may be perceived as being
threatened by innovations and external influences, against which concerned
language users feel themselves moved to fight or take action. The trauma of
war or socio-political tensions can necessitate the taking of measures to
regulate the teaching and use of a language. With regard to language
pedagogy, linguistic and psychological paradigm shifts can result in
conflicting methodologies and lead to new approaches to the learning and
teaching of a second language. In cultural, ideological and military
conflict, translation and interpreting may be politicised; they may be used
to justify or legitimise positions but also to mediate conflict. In each of
these cases, there is a clash between two or more groups, each of which
believes that it can claim the one correct variety or philosophy of language
or the one correct approach. These conflicts may be inter-generational, or
may involve groups of different philosophical, social or political
backgrounds. Equally, extra-linguistic conflicts and socio-political
tensions inevitably modify the conditions in which language is used, which
often serves as a catalyst for the development of new directions in
linguistic theory and practice. Although the majority of the issues
mentioned above have received due attention in both scholarly and public
discussions, the aim of this conference is to focus on the role of conflict
in shaping the development of language theory and practice.

Topics of interest include the following:
• tensions between language norm and actual language use
• challenges for modern day corpus planning presented by the use of
language in social media
• political conflicts and their impact on language theory and language practice
• disputes between the proponents of contrasting approaches to
language pedagogy and linguistic theory
• reactions to – and actions against – the borrowing of foreign
linguistic material into a language
• linguistic hegemony and minority languages
• émigré views of a native language and the actual use of that
language in the home country
• changes in Translation Studies in response to social and political
developments
• gender challenges to standard language use

We invite proposals for presentations (20 minutes + 10 minutes discussion)
which focus on any of the topics listed above, or which deal with another
aspect of the influence of extra- or intra-linguistic conflict on the
development of applied and theoretical linguistics. The working language of
the conference will be English, but presentations may deal with any
language(s).

Anonymous abstracts of 300 words should be submitted by email to
AF-Conflictling at exmail.nottingham.ac.uk in .doc, .docx, .txt or .pdf format.
Include name(s) and affiliation(s) in the body of your message.

It is intended that conference papers will be published in themed volumes of
peer-reviewed scholarly journals.

The deadline for the submission of abstracts is Friday 13th December 2013.
Notification of acceptance will be sent in mid-January 2014.
_______________________________________________
Critics-l mailing list
Critics-l at listserv.cddc.vt.edu
http://listserv.cddc.vt.edu/mailman/listinfo/critics-l