CFP

[Susana Castillo-Rodriguez]

Dear Colleagues, 
The Call for Papers for the 5th European Conference on African Studies is open until January 16th.  I have copied below the description and website of the panel.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Best regards, 
Susana Castillo-Rodriguez
University of New Hampshire. 
susana.castillo-rodriguez at unh.edu

Exploring glottopolitical dynamics in Africa: the Spanish colonial past and beyond

Location [TBD]
Date and Start Time [TBD] at [TBD]

Convenors

Susana Castillo-Rodriguez (University of New Hampshire) 
Laura Morgenthaler (University of Bremen)
Mail All Convenors

Short Abstract

From a glottopolitical approach, we seek to analyze the dynamics involved in the practices, policies, attitudes and relations regarding languages in Northern Africa and Equatorial Guinea and their geopolitical-linguistic redefinitions during the Spanish colonial period and afterwards.

Long Abstract

During the colonial period in Rio de Oro, Rio Muni and Fernando Po, Spain dealt not only with the linguistic and cultural diversity of the natives but also with the influence of Portuguese, English, French and Arab languages. In 1968, Equatorial Guinea embraced French and Portuguese as official languages, influenced by the ebb and flow of the political relationship with Spain and by economic and geopolitic interests. In the meantime, native languages such as Bube, Benga, Fang, Kombe and Fá d'ambó were (and still are) relegated to the back row of language planning/policy. In the northern territory of Morocco (Spanish Protectorate), Sidi Ifni and Western Sahara Spain was rather lacking in organization vis a vis with the French after the Conference of Congo (1884). With the independence from France and Spain the Spanish language gained in North Africa a symbolic status as an identity marker as well as a sign of differentiation from the francophone Maghreb.

In this panel we address questions regarding the ethnic, social and political challenges and dynamics that go hand on hand with past and present languages policies in North Africa and Equatorial Guinea. Glottopolitical tensions between the colonial and the native languages need to be investigated in a deeper way to understand the linguistic hispanicization in Africa.

Discussant: Justo Bolekia

http://www.nomadit.co.uk/ecas/ecas2013/panels.php5?PanelID=1799