[Linganth] CFP - Bilingualism/Multlingualism on Television

[Reynolds,Rachel]

Dear All:

Please share this widely among linguists you know.  It is a fun opportunity for those of us who like TV!

Regards.

Rachel R. Reynolds

CFP: Representing Bilingualism on American Television
>From codemixing to bullet captioning to enregisterment to full dual-language or multilanguage productions, the ways in which bilingualism is represented on television has begun to evolve. More and more bilingual characters and content including bilingual interactions have proliferated on the small screen. Indeed, researchers, producers, and fans are all acknowledging the value of multiple languages on the small screen for everything from cognitive benefits to marketing to wider audiences, to more subtle and positive portrayals of bilingual community members who do indeed watch (and subscribe to) television.
When watching our favorite programs featuring bilingual portrayals, we may wonder if current trends countervail previous instantiations of bilinguals and bilingualism or do they reinforce previous ideas. Are we seeing a shift from a deficit-based view of bilingualism as a problem to a more positive, normalized portrayal of bilingualism as an asset? What cultural messages do current depictions of bilingualism convey? With these questions in mind, we invite book chapter proposals from various (inter)disciplinary perspectives that consider representations of bilingual speakers and bilingualism on American television.* Topics may include but are not limited to, for example:

  *   Portrayals of interactions employing code-switching, code-mixing, code-meshing, and/or translanguaging,
  *   Use of subtitles in bilingual interactions or how these uses and users have changed over time,
  *   How portrayals of bilingualism are different today than they have been in the past,
  *   Analyses of bilingual representation in current popular television and streaming media,
  *   What messages the inclusion of bilingual characters or content convey to audiences,
  *   How portrayals of bilingual speakers reinforce or challenge dominant linguistic hierarchies,
  *   Representations of language policing, English-only policies, or institutional attitudes toward bilingualism, and
  *   How bilingual viewers respond to television representations of their languages and cultures, including critiques of authenticity and calls for better representation.

This call is for an edited volume. We are in conversation with potential publishers, and accepted abstracts may be included as part of our formal proposal to them. We will keep contributors informed of the volume's status as the proposal process moves forward.
Please send an abstract (max. 300 words) to both editors (e-mail addresses below) by October 15, 2026. We will reach out to authors within one month. If accepted, full chapters of 6000-8000 words will be expected by January 31, 2027.
James G. Mitchell: james.mitchell at salve.edu
Anyeliz Pagán-Muñoz: apaganm at bayamon.inter.edu

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* Our definition of American television is broad, including traditional broadcast as well as streaming episodic series. Papers that grapple with globalization and the concept of American television are welcome, but they should focus on content directly available on American streaming platforms and marketed on some level for American audiences.  Thus, for example, a French television show available by special purchase on a streaming platform does not count, but a French television show featuring bilingual and American characters widely consumed by U.S. audiences does. Also, studies of American audiences consuming bilingual television from around the world may work. Contact the authors for clarification.

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