symposium

[Sue Wright]

With apologies for cross-postings:




The Centre for the Study of
Professional Discourse and Development


(Re-) Locating TESOL in an Age of Empire

This two-day symposium will be held at Aston University, in
Birmingham, England, on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 December 2003.

The symposium sets out to formulate a professional response to the
perception that the invasion and occupation of Iraq may have
signalled a historic shift in contemporary international relations.
That is to say, where the pressures of hegemony do not suffice,
military force will be overtly employed.  In this context, it is
impossible not to notice that the leading players in the invasion of
Iraq were also the major TESOL providers worldwide: the United States
of America, the United Kingdom, and Australia.  If English is now to
become the language of Empire, or of neo-imperialism, as well as the
lingua franca of commerce and culture, what difference does this make
to the profession of English language teaching, or to the lives of
English language teachers?

Keynote Speakers will be:

Professor Sarah Benesch, City University of New York

Professor Christopher Brumfit, University of Southampton

Christopher Brumfit will examine the implications of the dominance of
English for both old and new speakers and ELT Professionals.  Sarah
Benesch will explore the use of critical pedagogy and critical media
awareness in English for academic purposes to respond to the new
imperialism.


Presentations (30 minutes + 10) are invited that address the issues
involved with an eye to specific implications for TESOL, whether in
terms of pedagogy, materials, the language itself, language policy,
educational planning, the lives of teachers, teacher development,
research, or any other aspect of the field.  Please send proposals
(title + 200 words) to the address below.  Alternative fora will also
be arranged.  We intend the symposium to be a high-intensity,
small-scale event for not more than 30 participants.

A series of seminars on the theme will be held during academic year
2003/04, and a second symposium is intended for July 2004.  For more
information, please contact Julian Edge: j.edge at aston.ac.uk
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