Keynote speakers

Prof. Susan Gal, University of Chicago, USA
Paper title: "Migration, Minorities and Multilingualism in Europe: Language Ideologies and the Practices of Linguistic Difference"
Prof. Thomas Ricento, University of Texas, USA
Paper title: “Americanization, Language Ideologies and the Construction of European Identities”
Prof. Jan Blommaert, University of Ghent, Belgium
Paper title: “European Régimes of Literacy”
Prof. Colin H. Williams, Cardiff University, Wales
Paper title: “Reluctant Reformers in Language Governance”

With the accession to the EU of ten new member states on 1 May 2004, the process of social transformation within and across national boundaries throughout Europe will be given a new impetus. At the same time, the accelerated process of unification has renewed and heightened the tension between national and supra-national interests. One of the most tangible manifestations of this tension – between the promotion of, and resistance to, social, economic and political unification – is in conflicting language ideologies, policies and practices. At this decisive moment in contemporary European history, the Centre for Transnational Studies at the University of Southampton, UK, held a conference on 8-10 July 2004 to debate these issues.

The conference gave an opportunity to look behind political rhetoric and consider both the attitudes that lie behind policy and the specific practices with which effective policy must be compatible. It also considered the impact of European policies and practices on the wider world, including the consequences of colonial and neo-colonial legacies. Papers dealt with many aspects of this European theme, focusing in particular on the relationships between language ideologies, policies and practices.

Selected papers have been published in the following volume:

Mar-Molinero, Clare, & Stevenson, Patrick, (2006) Language Ideologies, Policies and Practices: Language and the Future of Europe, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN: 1-4039-9899-X

Conference sponsor

UACES, University Association For Contemporary European Studies

UACES Secretariat,
King’s College London,
Strand,
London WC2R 2LS, UK
Tel: 020 7240 0206
Fax: 020 7836 2350
Email: admin@uaces.org
Web: www.uaces.org

Potential participants may be interested to know that The Third International Conference of IAISLC (The International Association for the Integrational Study of Language and Communication) is held prior to Southampton conference, 5-7 July, at the University of Birmingham. There are direct rail links from Birmingham to Southampton.