Call for Papers in Multilingualism

[Harold Schiffman]

Call for Papers in Multilingualism


Unesco Chair Multilingualism in Digital World

Call for articles: Content production in Portuguese language in digital world


It's possible to affirm that we live in a world of globalizing tendencies
based on the strength of the market, in face of identitarian
reivindications that might gather individuals, or communities in a regional
or local culture, as long as it doesn't lose, as a consequence, its
specificity-differentiation related to other realities in local, regional
or national levels.

Language is probably one of the cultural elements most strongly related to
a collective identity. It seems to contribute to the interaction of parts
that recognize and administrate life under its influence. A language can be
shared by one or more cultures. The union among these people might produce
an extended community.

Yet, language is used as a way towards inclusion, when a speaker of a
minoritarian language learns the official language at school (part of a
process to incorporate this individual in the imaginary community of the
Nation), or towards exclusion when linguistic minorities are obliged to
communicate in a language that is not their native tongue (in a clear
situation of disadvantage, or marginalization). These processes of
inclusion-exclusion sometimes happen simultaneously.

Portuguese language presents itself as the third most spoken European
language, fifth language in the world, and nevertheless its
representativity in digital world is minoritarian.

Nowadays, the content available in Portuguese language in digital space is
approximately 7%. If we compare it with English, that holds 75% of total
Internet content, our situation is to be understood. In terms of Portuguese
speakers, summing the countries that have Portuguese language as official
language, we sum about 250 million people that speak Portuguese.

If we abstain from discuss the needs of insertion and actuation in
Portuguese language in digital world, international agendas will not
contemplate ways to dialog or possibilities of new resources and,
therefore, we will keep dependent of informations generated in other
languages, in different cultures and traditions. Yet, and into this
perspective, Portuguese language would not assume an active role at the so
called Information Society.

Today there are around six thousand languages in the world. Of these, only
twelve are more present in Internet. In digital world we could affirm that
there is an almost total lack of cultural and linguistic diversity. In this
sense, we are inviting you to participate of the digital publication about
"Content production in Portuguese language in Digital World", with the
following sub-themes:


- Portuguese as a minoritarian language
The representation of intellectual production in Portuguese language
Apprehension of Portuguese in multilingual context, and multicultural learning
- Regional and minoritarian languages: inclusion and representativity


Language:
The articles shall be presented in Portuguese or English

Who can submit articles?
This call is designated specifically for researchers in Humanities with
Masters
and-or PhD in all countries that work academically in Portuguese language,
interested in promoting the circulation of academic content in Portuguese
language in digital space.

Deadlines:
Submit the articles until June 2008
Letter to the authors August 2008


Articles shall have:
• Text minimum 10, maximum 20 pages. Font Times New Roman 12.
• Line spacing: 1,5.
• Long citations: Times New Roman, 10.
• Footnote: Times New Roman, 10.
• Bibliographic references at the end of the text: Author, year,
title, editor, ISBN.
• Title: in capitals, bold, centered, Times New Roman 14.
• Author: Full name, no abbreviations (Please give the details of
your MBA,and-or PhD, research group, etc. in footnote)

Evaluation:
The articles will be evaluated by a scientific comity of researchers of
Portuguese Speaking countries. The pertinence of the debate presented to
the set of Portuguese Speaking countries will be the main criteria.

dress:
Email: multimundi.cemmefcsh.unl.pt
Reference site: www.multilinguismo.org

Coordinator of the publication:
Kachia Techio
Researcher
Cemme – University Nova de Lisboa
UNESCO Chair Multilingualism in Digital World

tel.: +351.964.521.477

posted: Claudia Wanderley
http://linguistlist.org/issues/19/19-1388.html

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