[Linganth] AAA 2026: Call for "Discussion" Presenters (by 4/22) - "Exploring ‘Proactivism’, Language Ideologies, & Social Change"

[Netta Avineri]

Hi everyone,

Kate Graber and I are putting together a proposal for a Discussion
<https://annualmeeting.americananthro.org/submit/guidelines/> for the AAA
2026 conference.

Please see (draft) abstract below. If you are interested in participating
as part of the session, please submit to this short form *by Wednesday,
4/22*:
https://forms.gle/ig66goD94pEfcG9j8

*Exploring ‘Proactivism’, Language Ideologies, & Social Change*
This discussion focuses on the named language ideology we are calling
“proactivism,” the structured belief system that proactive, intentional
language change builds towards social change. The “proactivism” language
ideology can be put into practice and mobilized for different ends, by a
range of actors across disparate spheres – from state actors pursuing
population control to grassroot efforts to counteract hegemonic policies
and practices. As language ideologies are inherently historically
contingent, their manifestation is best analyzed in ethnographic context.
In this discussion, we will highlight several examples of practices
mediated by the proactivism language ideology. Presenters will share a
range of cases in which language change, in the form of lexical shifts,
framing devices, pragmatics, and the use of particular language varieties
in given contexts, is connected to, and imagined as productive of, social
change. We will also explore an analytical toolkit for examining cases of
proactivism, which can be applied not only in descriptions of other
people’s language change efforts, but also in our own projects for social
change and social justice.\

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us as well.

Thank you!
Netta Avineri & Kate Graber
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