CFP: Mapping Africa in the English Speaking World

[Francis Hult]

http://www.ub.bw/events.cfm?m=1&e=99

 

Department of English in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Botswana will host its 5th International conference under the theme "Mapping Africa in the English Speaking World"

 

Since 1998 the Department of English in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Botswana has hosted a biennial conference to discuss issues concerning English language and literature in Africa. The 2009 conference, Mapping Africa in the English Speaking World, will provide a platform for researchers, academics, educators, language planners, applied linguists, and other professionals interested in English in Africa to engage with various issues relating to the representation of Africa, past and present, in English. The suggested themes and sub-themes of the conference include: 

 

The representation of Africa in various modes of communication (in English) in: 

Spoken and written literary texts 

The media 

Theatre, film and other modes of performance 

Music 

Anthropology, history, linguistics, sociology and other academic discourses. 

Conceptions of African multilingualism, nationalism, identities and culture in English cultures within Africa and beyond 

 

The English language in Africa: 

Advantages and disadvantages of using English in Africa 

The English(es) of the African Diaspora 

The Africanization/indigenisation of English in Africa 

English and postcolonial Africa 

Africa's enrichment of English: the contribution of Africa and the African Diaspora to the communicative and expressive Capacity of English 

Perceptions of power relations between African languages and English 

Conflicting interests: teaching African cultures in the English language; teaching English in an African culture. 

Representations of Botswana culture by foreign vs Botswana writers. 

 

The department hopes that dialogue around such issues will contribute to better understanding of the image(s) of Africa in the English-speaking world, the relationships between Africa and English and the extent to which English and other African related issues such as various languages traditions (written and oral), cultures, etc inter-relate; the construction of identities and development of relationships in multi-lingual contexts; how culture and knowledge are effectively communicated between communities; and so on.

 

Abstracts of not more than 250 words on any of the above themes and sub-themes should be submitted via email to: monaka at mopipi.ub.bw. Abstracts must be Microsoft Word documents. The deadline for submission is 31 March, 2009. Abstracts should include:

Title of paper 

Conference theme and sub-theme addressed 

Name(s) and academic title(s) of author(s) 

Academic or professional affiliation 

E-mail address 

Number of words in the abstract 

 

Please note that papers presented at the conference should not exceed a maximum of 20 minutes. Conference fees and accommodation details will be communicated at a later date.

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