[HERITAGE-LIST] CFP: International Indigeous Language Policy Research Symposium - DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS 25 MARCH

[Scott G. McGinnis]

American Indian Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center

College of Education, University of New Mexico, USA

         International Indigenous Language Policy Research Symposium
                                                  May 2-3, 2011

Call for Papers
Deadline: March 25, 2011

Our third annual international gathering of scholars and members of Indigenous communities of the Americas will take place on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The theme of our 2011 Symposium is focused on the intergenerational transmission of indigenous languages with a special focus on issues involving early childhood and the impact of schooling on children’s language development beyond the early childhood years.
Indigenous people throughout the Americas are faced with the daunting challenge of maintaining and passing on their respective languages to younger generations in the midst of rapidly expanding global influences and the impact of national and local educational policies that increasingly undermine the process of language transmission in families and communities.  In the Americas alone, 1,000 languages have already disappeared or reached the threshold of extinction within the last quarter century.
The future survival of remaining Indigenous languages depends on continuous cycles of transmitting language from one generation to another. Emerging efforts in indigenous communities to address revitalization of family based language efforts, early childhood “language nests” and other language programs for children and youth are reflections of how critical these issues are to the survival of Indigenous languages and cultures.  As these efforts have emerged, a major source of conflict has often been the impact that social, economic, political and education policies have had on language learning and the social development of children in their early years, long before they enter formal schooling and beyond.  The Symposium hopes to explore these issues by bringing together Indigenous leaders, educators, and advocates working on behalf of Indigenous families, children and their communities.


Our Mission
A central aspect of our Center’s mission is to facilitate an international dialogue about policy issues that will foster a better understanding of the unique issues challenging Indigenous communities in the maintenance and survival of their respective languages. Our goal is to explore the commonalities that will help build collaborative support and advocacy of Indigenous language maintenance efforts by bringing together scholars and advocates representing diverse language communities.  We believe that Indigenous peoples of the Americas share a unique historical, linguistic and cultural link that has sustained our respective cultures for centuries.  We also recognize that the future vitality of Indigenous languages is often threatened by rapidly growing global changes. There is much to be learned from the experiences that different Indigenous communities currently face as a result of local and national policies in education and government.

Focus of the Symposium:
Our 2011 International Symposium, we will explore the following topics and issues:
¨       International social, economic, or political polices and their impact on early childhood education and efforts to maintain or revitalize Indigenous languages.
¨       National education policies and their on impact Indigenous language transmission  processes involving youth and children in schools.
¨       Key issues and challenges facing Indigenous families and language communities in the transmission of language and culture to youth.
¨       The role of early childhood education in the survival of Indigenous languages.
¨       Community practices of language maintenance and formation of language attitudes among Indigenous child generations.
¨       The role of national and local educational policies in hastening or mitigating Indigenous language loss among children.
¨       The role of national or local education policies in shaping the broader social and cultural contexts for Indigenous early childhood education and beyond.

Submission Guidelines
We invite prospective presenters to submit a proposal following the following guidelines. All proposals must address one or more of the conference topics or issues listed above. Deadline for submission is March 25, 2011.  Notification of accepted Conference presentation will be issued no later than the end of March, 2011.  Proposals accepted for presentation will be posted to the Center’s website at the conclusion of the conference. Selected papers will be invited for inclusion in a future Center publication.
Please submit your proposal with ALL the following required information:

1.     Title of Presentation or Paper
2.     Presenter’s Name, institutional Affiliation and/or Indigenous language affiliation
3.     State the Type of Proposed Presentation you will make (Select one option only):
Research Paper:
Paper presentations will be scheduled for 45 minutes followed by 15 minutes for questions and comments from the audience.
Panel:
Involves 3-4 presenters addressing a common topic.  Panels will be 2.5 hours, INCLUSIVE of panel presenter time, moderator or discussant commentary time and audience questions or comments.
Poster Session:
Provides an informal opportunity for presenters to discuss and provide information about a language maintenance or revitalization initiative in their community.  A display of information, materials, visuals, or other sample resources is organized by the presenter and displayed for a 2-3 hour block of time. Poster presenters are expected to be available to discuss their initiatives with Conferees during this time period.
Graduate Student “Research work in Progress”:
These 45 minute sessions provide graduate students an opportunity to present research projects in progress, gain feedback, and discuss relevant issues with Indigenous scholars, researchers, and university faculty. Research projects must be related to one or more of the topic areas listed above.

4.     Abstract (300 words or less)
5.     Presenter’s Contact Information:  Email address (and FAX if available). Phone information where we may contact you. Your Mailing address.
6.     Description for printed program (50 words or less)

Email  or FAX your submission to:
Dr. Penny Bird, Program Manager: (505)277-8362         Email: cpbirdsd at unm.edu

For further information about the Conference contact:
Dr. Christine Sims, Assist. Professor: (505)277-3175  Email:  csims at unm.edu
OR
Dr. Penny Bird, Program Manager: (505) 277-0537  Email: cpbirdsd at unm.edu