Calls: Intercultural Communication in the European Context

[Harold Schiffman]

Intercultural Communication in the European ContextShort Title: INTERCOM
Date: 06-Jun-2009 - 08-Jun-2009Location: Lodz, PolandContact Person: Adam BednarekMeeting Email: abeduni.lodz.plWeb Site: http://icec2009.wssm.edu.pl/


Call Deadline: 31-Jan-2009
Meeting Description:
Today to an even larger extent than in the past centuries, communicationfrequently takes place between individuals and institutions representingdifferent national and cultural backgrounds. This has resulted in a vast body oftheoretical discussions on the relation between language, culture and discourseas well as in the emergence of empirical research on intercultural encounters.
Call for Papers
The conference International Communication in the European Context aims atpresenting and discussing multiple approaches to cross-cultural communicationwithin Europe, or involving European cultures and perspectives. The organizerswelcome contributions on a wide range of subjects, such as e.g. sociolinguisticstudies on biculturalism and migration, the effects of linguistic and culturaldifferences upon the process European integration, business communication, newmedia, and the communication aspect of political relations and cultural exchangebetween the European Union and the United States of America.
We welcome contributions on the role of pragmalinguistic differences anddifferent conventions of speech and text genres in encounters between members ofdifferent cultures, as well as on the effects of power relations upon the formsof intercultural discourse. Social change, international political campaigning,linguistic minorities, advertising, management, corporate internalcommunication, tourism, youth culture, international diplomacy, internalcommunication in the institutions of the EU, and public media discourse are allwithin the range of subjects which we expect to be dealt with at the conference.Contributions from empirical studies are most welcome.In order to meet these objectives, the organizers also invite contributions fromrelated non-linguistic disciplines such as international relations, businessstudies and comparative social psychology.
Subtopics:1. Minority discourses2. European diversity and European integration3. Communication between the European countries and the United States of AmericaAd 1) This section focuses upon the discourses involving cultural and linguisticminorities, their positioning in the mainstream discourse and the evolution ofnational cultures and styles of communication under the influence of culturaldiversity within national borders.Ad 2) As the process of European integration proceeds towards its declared goalof coordinated standards of social, judicial and ethic policies, differences ofcultural backgrounds as well as institutional and linguistic practices come intoview. The questions to be addressed are among other things problems caused bythe diversity and homogenization of Europe's cultures, international businessrelations and border-crossing developments in arts and mass media, as well ascommunication in foreign languages and the enrichment of individual and socialrepertoires of !
 interaction practices brought about by intercultural encounters.Ad 3) The impact of American culture, economy and politics forms a clearlyvisible aspect of globalization. On the other hand, the differences betweenEurope and the USA in historical development, social and institutionalbackgrounds and cultural assumptions lead to different discursive practices andmay result in diverging approaches to a number of issues, including among otherthings global safety, ecology, medical ethics and institutional interventionismin economy and business. The issues to be addressed are intercultural discoursesin any area and illustrating successful communication, mutual or one-sidedinfluences on discursive practices and obstacles to the achievement of mutualunderstanding.Conference languagesContributions will be accepted in English, German and Polish.
Submission of AbstractsDeadline for submitting abstracts is 30th January 2009.Please send your abstract in max. 300 words edited in MS Word tohanna.pulaczewskasprachlit.uni-regensburg.de. The academic committee willnotify you whether your proposal has been accepted by February 20th.
ProceedingsProceedings will be digitally published on the conference website. Selectedpapers will be published in book form.
Conference HomepageFurther details are to be found at http://icec2009.wssm.edu.pl/
The Academic Committeeprof. dr. hab. Barbara Lewandowska-Tomaszczyk, Academy for international Studies(WSSM) Łódź and University of Łódźprof. dr. hab. Hanna Pulaczewska, Academy for international Studies (WSSM) Łódźdr. Iwona Witczak-Plisiecka, Academy for international Studies (WSSM) Łódź andUniversity of Łódźdr. Adam Bednarek, Academy for international Studies (WSSM) Łódź and Universityof Łódź
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