Fwd: World Congress on Language Policies

[Curt Woolhiser]

>
>Forwarded from Linguist List: World Congress on Language Policies
>
>From: Josep Cru <j.cru at unescocat.org>
>Subject: World Congress on Language Policies
>
>
>The Linguapax Institute is organizing a World Congress on Language
>Policies that is to be held in Barcelona between 16 and 20 of April
>2002. There will be six keynote addresses and five workshops that will
>deal with the following topics:
>
>1. Language laws and their implementation
>2. The management of linguistic diversity in large cities
>3. Models of language policies: case studies
>4. The role of civil society in language policy processes
>5. New information technologies and small and medium-sized languages
>
>More information on:  http://www.linguapax.org
>
>
>  WORLD CONGRESS ON LANGUAGE POLICIES
>  Barcelona, April 16-20, 2002
>
>
>  First Circular
>
>  Since the begining of the 90s, the political, economic and technological
>changes have raised the need to start a deep process of thought about how to
>face these changes as far as the fast spreading of new technologies, and the
>processes of globalization in the economic, cultural and social spheres
have a strong
>and intense influence on languages, no matter their demographic strength or
>their official status. And these processes can be a threat to linguistic
>diversity as a fundamental part of the World's heritage. Within this
context, a series
>of tendencies, extralinguistic factors and needs have a direct impact on
>languages, especially on the so-called minority languages and on small and
>medium-sized languages:
>
>  1. In many cases, experience shows how civil society and civic
>organizations can push official authorities to a more positive attitude
towards minority
>languages;
>
>  2. The main challenges faced by minority languages are to be found in
>the impact of new technologies in the globalization process;
>
>  3. There is a need for new methodological and pedagogical approaches to
>the teaching and learning of minority languages;
>
>  4. Language exercises a powerful symbolic attraction as a tool to build
>up collective and individual identities;
>
>  5. The schooling system can discriminate against minority languages
>pupils under the cover of laws that, at first glance, seem to support and
promote the
>learning process of these pupils;
>
>  6. Most of the time, gaps are to be found between law and its practice;
>and
>
>  7. NGOs, civic organizations, and other representatives of minority
>language groups are often more effective and fast moving than official
>authorities.
>
>  Therefore, minority language issues should be linked to highly relevant
>matters such as:
>
>  a) The strengthening of democracy
>  b) The increasing involvement of civil society
>  c) The recognition of linguistic rights as human rights
>  d) The improving of living conditions
>  e) The access to the labour market
>  f) The economic value-added of a language
>
>
>  Main topics to be discussed
>
>  The Institute LINGUAPAX, with the support of the Directorate General for
>Language Policy of the Government of Catalonia, therefore invites
>researchers, social actors and activists, politicians, lawyers and all
>those persons involved in the promotion of languages to take part in this
>World Congress, whose sessions  will deal with the following topics:
>
>  1. Language laws and other legal instruments as tools for the promotion
>of languages: design, implementation, evaluation and follow-up;
>
>  2. The management of linguistic diversity in large urban centres in
>order to ensure the maintenance of this diversity and to prevent tensions
>and conflicts related to the use of diffferent languages, and at the same
>time to ensure that the gradual integration of the host society will be
>carried out through the medium of the autochtonous language(s) of this
>society;
>
>  3. The study of concrete models and experiences in the field of language
>policy and their evaluation according to cost-effectiveness criteria in
>order to ensure a positive output of the invested human, technical and
>economic resources;
>
>  4. The effective participation of civil society (civic organizations,
>NGOs, etc.) in the design, implementation and follow-up of language
>policies; and
>
>  5. The challenge of new technologies and the production of linguistic
>resources to promote language diversity and the culture of peace.
>
>  There will also be complementary activities as exhibitions of materials:
>posters, grammars, dictionaries, didactic tools, multimedia demos,
>sociolinguistic resources available on the Internet, etc.
>
>  Structure of the Congress
>
>  The sessions of the Congress will be structured around six main keynote
>addresses and five concurrent workshops. Two 30 minutes papers will be
>delivered for each workshop by relevant scholars in order to focus and
>stimulate further debate and discussion. People registered for the
>Congress will receive these papers one month before the celebration of the
>Congress. The working languages will be English, French, Catalan and
>Spanish.
>
>  Detailed structure of the Congress.
>
>  Keynote addresses
>
>       Dr. E. Annamalai (Former Director of the Central Institute of
>Indian Languages) Language policy in multilingual societies.
>
>       Dr. L. Khubchandani (Director of the Center for Communication
>Studies, India) Demographic imperatives in language planning.
>
>       Dr. Tove Skutnabb-Kangas (Roskilde University, Denmark) Language
>Policies and Education
>
>       Dr. Peter Muehlhaeusler (University of Adelaide, Australia)
>Theoretical approaches to language policies
>
>       Dr. E. Nolue Emenanjo (National Institute for Nigerian Languages)
>Language Policy and Cultural Identities
>
>       Representative of the United Nations Education, Science and Culture
>Organisation
>
>  Concurrent workshops
>
>  Workshop 1: Language laws and their implementation. Language laws and
>other legal documents as tools for the promotion of languages: drafting,
>implementation and follow-up.
>
>  Introductory addresses by: Alie van der Schaaf (Mercator Education,
>Frisian Academy); Jean-Claude Corbeil (Secretary of the Commission of the
>estates-General on the State and the Future of the French Language in
>Quebec);  Virginia Unamuno (coordinator of the Mercator Program on
>Linguistic Rights and Legislation)
>
>  Workshop 2: The management of linguistic diversity in large cities.
>Managing linguistic diversity in large urban centers to ensure the
>preservation of diversity and prevent linguistic tensions and conflicts.
>
>  Introductory addresses by: Joan Rubin (independent consultant and
>researcher);  Ignace Sanwidi (expert in education and in the culture of
>peace, Ouagadougou, Burkina)
>
>  Workshop 3: Models of language policies: case studies. The study of
>concrete models and successful experiences in the field of language
>policy. Their evaluation according to cost-effectiveness criteria.
>
>  Introductory addresses by: Vida Mikhalchenko (Institute of Linguistic
>Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences); Vic Webb (Center for Research in
>the Politics of Language, University of Pretoria).
>
>  Workshop 4: The role of civil society in language policy processes. The
>effective participation of civil society (civic organisations, NGOs, etc.)
>in the design, implementation and follow-up of language policies.
>
>  Introductory addresses by: Bojan Brezigar (President of the European
>Bureau for Lesser Used Languages-EBLUL); Denis Cunningham (President of
>the International Federation of Modern Languages Teachers-FIPLV)
>
>  Workshop 5: New information technologies and small and medium-sized
>languages. The challenge of new technologies and the production of
>linguistic resources to promote language diversity and the culture of
>peace.  Introductory addresses by: Victor Montviloff (Information Society
>Division, UNESCO); Teresa Cabr (Institute of Applied Linguistics, Pompeu
>Fabra University).
>
>  Call for papers
>
>  Papers for the Congress should be submitted to the Linguapax Institute
>(info at linguapax.org) before February 15, indicating the workshop in which
>they should be presented. Papers must be four pages (A4) long maximum,
>single-space, 12 point, headed by title, author(s), and affiliation.  The
>Scientific Committe of the Congress will review all the papers and will
>select  those to be presented at the workshops.
>
>
>  Scientific Committee
>
>  Mr. Bojan Brezigar (President of the EBLUL)
>  Dr. Denis Cunningham (President of FIPLV)
>  Dr. Lachman M. Khubchandani (Director of the Centre for Communication
>  Studies, India)
>  Mr. Flix Mart (President of the Institute LINGUAPAX
>  Dr. Mohamed Miled (Director of the Institut Suprieur des Langues de
>Tunis)
>  Dr. Irmela Neu (Fachhochschule Mnchen)
>  Mr. Joseph Poth (Former director of the Languages Division of UNESCO)
>  Dr. Joan Rubin (Independent consultant and researcher)
>  Dr. Ignace Sanwidi (Director of the UNESCO Centre in Dakar)
>
>  Registration fees
>
>  The registration fees to the Congress are 20.000 PTA. (120 euros) and
>15.000 (90 euros) for students if the payment is made before January 31,
>2002.
>
>  After this date and up to 31 March, 2002 (closing deadline) the
>registration fees will be 180 euros and 150 euros for students.
>
>  The organizers will provide to participants:
>
>   Full access to sessions
>   Documents (folder, CD with abstracts and full texts of keynotes and
>papers)
>   Cultural and leisure activities
>   Welcome dinner and farewell lunch.
>
>  Cancellation
>
>  Cancellations must be made in writing to the Linguapax Institute
>(Mallorca, 285
>  Barcelona 08037 Spain FAX: (+34) 93 457 58 51). If received by March 31,
>  2002, the fee will be refunded after a deduction of 40 euros, to cover
>  administration expenses. After this date no refund can be made.
>
>  Travel and accomodation
>
>  For those who wish it, the travel agency Viajes Maya can organize your
>trip and accomodation. Please mention the name of the Congress as a
>reference when contacting the travel agency.
>
>  Person to contact: Mr. Joan Montalt
>  vmaya at xpress.es
>  FAX: +34 93 212 89 85
>  For more information about the city of Barcelona, please check the web
>site:  www.barcelonaturisme.com
>
>

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