CFPs Conferences

Calls for Papers, Conference organized by AIA Members

CALL FOR PAPERS Workshop: Literature and Sport – Genre and Gender 10 December 2025 University of Aosta Valley/online

  CALL FOR PAPERS   Workshop: Literature and Sport – Genre and Gender10 December 2025 University of Aosta Valley/onlineThe University of Aosta Valley is happy to announce a hybrid workshop on Literature and Sport – Genre and Gender to be held on 10 December 2025. KeynotesDr. Roberta Grandi, University of Aosta Valley, ItalyProf. Armela Panajoti, University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali”, AlbaniaProf. Angelika Reichmann, Eszterházy Károly University, Hungary Fuelled by such critically acclaimed films as Chariots of Fire (1981), Million Dollar Baby (2004) or Invictus (2009), recently re envigorated discussions of representation have a growing interest in sports in visual media. This interest has produced such insightful analyses of sports’ role in performing gender as for instance Viridiana Lieberman’s Sports Heroines on Film (2015) or various chapters in Sports, Film and National Culture (2021). Nonetheless, no systematic study of this aspect is discernible in literary studies, though relevant texts, like Bernard Malamud’s The Natural (1952) or Naomi Benaron’s Running the Rift (2010), abound. In this workshop, we discuss sport(s) in Anglophone fiction, with the aim to analyze the various forms of representations—cultural, social, political—featuring sports in literatures in English since the late 19th century. We scrutinise, specifically, the interrelationships of gender, genre and sports, bearing in mind that genres are “cultural categories” associated “with the cultural practices of the society [i.e. social groups] in which they are produced,” and thus “[w]hen writers make use of a genre which has traditionally been an avenue of expression for another […] group, they attempt to make that form of expression relatable to other […] groups of people.” With a view to publishing the proceedings of the workshop and the ESSE seminar held in Lausanne (2024) on a similar topic as a thematic volume with Palgrave Macmillan, the organisers invite proposals for 20-minute online presentations focussed on issues of gender in sports fiction, including but not limited to:– Performativity of gender and sports– Binary constructions in sports fiction: masculine vs. feminine; heterosexual vs. homosexual– Sports and society: social interaction, power relations, and identity construction—local, national, regional, international—through sports;– The rhetoric of sports: heroes, celebrities and sports discourse in the public sphere;– Gender (under)representation in sports literature Please submit your 250-word abstracts and a short bio-note (about 100 words) to Angelika, Armela and Roberta at reichmanna@gmail.com; armelap@assenglish.org and r.grandi@univda.it by 20th September 2025. Submission deadline for manuscripts (5-7,000 words including notes and Works Cited, parenthetical notes in MLA style): 15th February 2026. Please note that the organisers are also planning to submit the Palgrave book proposal by 15th February 2026.  

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CALL FOR PAPERS (Im)politeness on Stage Monday 15 – Tuesday 16 December, 2025 University of Naples L’Orientale

(Im)politeness plays a crucial role in the analysis of dramatic dialogue, revealing complex aspects of characterization, plot development, and the underlying structure of social harmony or discord. The ways in which characters deploy impoliteness strategies on stage provide insights into power dynamics, relationships, and the negotiation of social boundaries. Beyond its narrative function, impoliteness also serves as an important theatrical tool: it can enhance entertainment, generate humour, and, in the case of mock impoliteness, even express intimacy, affect, or strategic cunning. While dramatic texts have often been overlooked in stylistic and pragmatic studies due to the long-standing debate between text based and performance-based approaches, the increasing availability of filmed stage performances — through platforms such as National Theatre Live, National Theatre at Home, Digital Theatre — has facilitated new analytical possibilities. The integration of multimodal analysis now allows scholars to examine not only the language of dramatic texts but also their performative realization, including prosody, gesture, and spatial dynamics. As Boulton argues, a play is an organic, complex organism: it does not simply signify, but it “walks and talks before our eyes” (1960: 3). This highlights the need to examine dramatic dialogue from multiple perspectives, considering how meaning emerges not only from the text itself but also from its delivery, interactional dynamics, and performative realization. By integrating linguistic, pragmatic, and multimodal approaches, scholars can explore the full range of strategies through which (im)politeness operates in drama—whether in written scripts, staged performances, or filmed versions. We invite proposals for 20-minute papers on a wide range of topics related to (im)politeness in dramatic discourse. The main topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: ● The multiple functions of (im)politeness in dramatic representation;● (Im)politeness and characterisation in plays;● Mock-politeness, humour, sarcasm, banter in plays● Multimodal approaches to (im)politeness● (Im)politeness and violence in dramatic discourse● Rhetoric in inter-character dynamics;● Stylistics and narration in drama;● Persuasive discourse;● Taboo language;● Translation of Drama and (Im)politeness Theory; We welcome contributions from scholars in pragmatics, discourse analysis, stylistics, drama studies, multimodal analysis, and related fields. Papers may focus on historical or contemporary drama, as well as on different theatrical traditions. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and should be sent as email attachments in .doc or .docx format to valentina.vetri@unisi.it or chiara.ghezzi@unior.it by 15/07/2025. Proposals should include:– full name;– academic position;– affiliation;– email address;– keywords (5 max.)– references (5 max.) Notice of acceptance will be sent by 08/09/2025. Organising and Scientific CommitteeValentina Vetri, Bianca Del Villano, Chiara Ghezzi, Roberto Esposito, Mariaconcetta Mirto, Emma Pasquali, Aoife Beville. CALL FOR PAPERS(Im)politeness on StageMonday 15 – Tuesday 16 December, 2025University of Naples L’Orientale (Im)politeness plays a crucial role in the analysis of dramatic dialogue, revealing complex aspects of characterization, plot development, and the underlying structure of social harmony or discord. The ways in which characters deploy impoliteness strategies on stage provide insights into power dynamics, relationships, and the negotiation of social boundaries. Beyond its narrative function, impoliteness also serves as an important theatrical tool: it can enhance entertainment, generate humour, and, in the case of mock impoliteness, even express intimacy, affect, or strategic cunning. While dramatic texts have often been overlooked in stylistic and pragmatic studies due to the long-standing debate between text based and performance-based approaches, the increasing availability of filmed stage performances — through platforms such as National Theatre Live, National Theatre at Home, Digital Theatre — has facilitated new analytical possibilities. The integration of multimodal analysis now allows scholars to examine not only the language of dramatic texts but also their performative realization, including prosody, gesture, and spatial dynamics. As Boulton argues, a play is an organic, complex organism: it does not simply signify, but it “walks and talks before our eyes” (1960: 3). This highlights the need to examine dramatic dialogue from multiple perspectives, considering how meaning emerges not only from the text itself but also from its delivery, interactional dynamics, and performative realization. By integrating linguistic, pragmatic, and multimodal approaches, scholars can explore the full range of strategies through which (im)politeness operates in drama—whether in written scripts, staged performances, or filmed versions. We invite proposals for 20-minute papers on a wide range of topics related to (im)politeness in dramatic discourse. The main topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: ● The multiple functions of (im)politeness in dramatic representation;● (Im)politeness and characterisation in plays;● Mock-politeness, humour, sarcasm, banter in plays● Multimodal approaches to (im)politeness● (Im)politeness and violence in dramatic discourse● Rhetoric in inter-character dynamics;● Stylistics and narration in drama;● Persuasive discourse;● Taboo language;● Translation of Drama and (Im)politeness Theory; We welcome contributions from scholars in pragmatics, discourse analysis, stylistics, drama studies, multimodal analysis, and related fields. Papers may focus on historical or contemporary drama, as well as on different theatrical traditions. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and should be sent as email attachments in .doc or .docx format to valentina.vetri@unisi.it or chiara.ghezzi@unior.it by 15/07/2025. Proposals should include:– full name;– academic position;– affiliation;– email address;– keywords (5 max.)– references (5 max.) Notice of acceptance will be sent by 08/09/2025. Organising and Scientific CommitteeValentina Vetri, Bianca Del Villano, Chiara Ghezzi, Roberto Esposito, Mariaconcetta Mirto, Emma Pasquali, Aoife Beville.

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Echoes of Hate, Screens of Resistance: Discourse, Media, and Pedagogy in the Digital Age

Naples, 23–25 October 2025Università di Napoli “L’Orientale” The international conference Echoes of Hate, Screens of Resistance marks the culmination of the PRIN 2022 project ECHOES – English Studies to Contrast Hate Online and Enhance Solidarity, a multidisciplinary initiative funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research. The project focuses on the critical analysis of harmful online practices (HOPs) in English multimodal discourse, with an emphasis on promoting solidarity, inclusion, and responsible digital citizenship. In today’s increasingly polarised digital world, hate is no longer confined to fringe communities; in fact, it circulates widely through social media, public discourse, and popular audiovisual culture. Cinema and television, together with social networking systems, participate in both the reproduction and the contestation of exclusionary narratives. Meanwhile, educational institutions face mounting pressure to equip learners and educators with tools to identify, counter, and neutralise these forms of hate. This conference provides an open platform for scholars, educators, cultural practitioners, media analysts, and digital activists to reflect on the critical role of language, screen discourse, and pedagogical practices in addressing hate and fostering inclusive futures. Over the past two years, the ECHOES project has investigated online hate from a multimodal critical discourse analysis (MCDA) perspective, analysing verbal, visual, and aural digital texts in English. Using this methodology, the interuniversity research team has identified four prominent forms of HOPs, namely trolling, cyberbullying, bashing, and defamation, and analysed their impact on four particularly vulnerable social groups: women, migrants and diasporic communities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. In addition, the analysis was guided by six main hate categories: Age (including discrimination against the elderly), Body, Disability, Ethnicity (including various forms of racism not necessarily linked to migration), Gender, and Religion.The conference will explore how digital and screen-based textualities construct and circulate hate, and how they offer discursive and pedagogical opportunities for resistance. By convening experts from fields such as applied linguistics, discourse analysis, media and film studies, education, and social semiotics, Echoes of Hate, Screens of Resistance seeks to cultivate and promote interdisciplinary dialogue and reinforce the role of education and research in countering digital toxicity. We especially encourage contributions that engage critically with the idea of digital solidarity, interrogate the ethical responsibilities of content creators and educators, and propose tangible models for promoting inclusion and mutual respect in online and audiovisual communication. Conference ThemesWe welcome proposals for individual papers, panels, and workshops on topics including, but not limited to: 1. Digital Hate Discourse• Multimodal analysis of online hate speech (HOPs) across social media platforms• Discursive strategies of exclusion and vilification in English-language digital environments• Affect, irony, humour, and other indirect forms of digital aggression and disambiguation• Corpus-informed approaches to the study of online hostility 2. Cinema and Television as Arenas of Resistance• Audiovisual representations of vulnerable communities (LGBTIQ+, migrants, women, disabled people)• Screen narratives that challenge hate and promote empathy• Subtitling, dubbing, and the translation of discriminatory ideologies• Censorship, genre, and ideology in TV and film discourse 3. Activism, Policy, and Civil Society• Best practices in hate monitoring, moderation, and civic advocacy• Pedagogies of peace and solidarity across sectors• Partnerships between researchers and public institutions• Lifelong learning and critical media literacy in local communities 4. Teacher Training Track• As part of the ECHOES project’s commitment to outreach and societal impact, the Conference will feature a dedicated Teacher Training Track on Saturday, 25th. This track will include 45-minute workshops and/or materials presentations specifically designed to support English language teachers. Aimed particularly at those working in primary and secondary education, it will offer practical insights into teaching digital literacy, global citizenship, and intercultural communication through inclusive and critical methodologies. Submission Guidelines• Abstracts (max 300 words, including references) for individual 20-minute papers must be submitted via email in English, accompanied by a brief bio (maximum 150 words).• Panel proposals (3-4 speakers) should include a panel rationale (max 300 words, including references) and individual abstracts (max 200 words each, without references). Write to: prin2022echoes@unior.it Deadline for submissions: 30th July 2025Notification of acceptance: 1st Sept. 2025Registration deadline: 30th Sept. 2025Language: English Keynote SpeakersWe are delighted to announce the participation of internationally prominent scholars:• Salvatore Attardo (Texas A&M University)• Michael Burke (Utrecht University)• Giuditta Caliendo (Université de Lille)• Majid KhosraviNik (Newcastle University) TBC• Tiziana Terranova (University of Naples L’Orientale)• Mikael Toulza (Université de Lille) Convenor:Giuseppe Balirano, University of Naples L’Orientale Scientific Committee:Maria Cristina Aiezza (University of Naples L’Orientale), Emilio Amideo (University of Naples “Parthenope”), Marta Arcovito (University of Messina), Maria Vita Cambria (University of Messina), Maria De Santo (University of Naples L’Orientale), Bianca Del Villano (University of Naples L’Orientale), Alessandra Ferlito (University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli), Antonio Fruttaldo (Sannio University), Bronwen Hughes (University of Naples “Parthenope”), Francesco Nacchia (University of Naples L’Orientale), Marina Niceforo (University of Naples L’Orientale), Maria Cristina Nisco (University of Naples “Parthenope”), Raffaele Pizzo (University of Naples L’Orientale), Annalisa Raffone (Pegaso University), Margherita Rasulo (University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli), Katherine Elizabeth Russo (University of Naples L’Orientale), Maria Grazia Sindoni (University of Messina), Stefania Taviano (University of Messina). Organising Committee:Mauro Brondi, Maria De Santo, Robin Donadio, Roberto Esposito, Dalia Mennella, Francesco Nacchia, Marina Niceforo, Raffaele Pizzo Venue:23–24 October 2025:San Severo al Pendino Heritage Site, The Historic SacristyVia Duomo, 286 – 80138 Naples 25 October 2025:Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici, Palazzo Serra di Cassano Via Monte di Dio, 14-15 – 80132 Naples

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CALL FOR PAPERS COGNITION & THE MEDIA 30-31 October 2025 Università degli Studi “G. d’Annunzio di Chieti-Pescara”

Segreteria AIA 13:51 (4 ore fa) CALL FOR PAPERS: COGNITION & THE MEDIA 30-31 October 2025 Università degli Studi “G. d’Annunzio di Chieti-Pescara” We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Cognition and the Media, a multidisciplinary event bringing together scholars from media studies, cognitive science, translation studies, linguistics, psychology, and related fields. Drawing inspiration from the work of scholars such as Gilles Fauconnier, George Lakoff, Ronald W. Langacker and Mark Turner (cognitive linguistics), as well as more recent contributions by Giuseppe Balirano (digital and social media, multimodality, and multimodal stylistics), Jorge Díaz-Cintas (screen and digital media, cybersubtitling and cyberdubbing ), Yves Gambier (translation, cognition, and media accessibility) and Marcello Giovanelli (stylistics, cognitive studies, and the public humanities), the conference seeks to explore the dynamic relationship between cognitive processes and media forms — including film, television, digital platforms, games, and social media — with a particular emphasis on translation and audiovisual practices. We aim to foster dialogue on how media influence, shape, and are shaped by cognitive mechanisms such as perception, attention, memory, emotion, and narrative comprehension, especially in contexts involving multilingualism, accessibility, and intersemiotic mediation. At the heart of this conference is a key question: How do media shape and reflect the ways we think, feel, and communicate—especially across languages and cultures? In an era of saturated information, real-time interaction, and constant cross-linguistic exchange, cognition is at the centre of how media function and how meaning moves across borders. As cognitive science deepens our understanding of how we perceive, process, interpret and memorise information, it raises critical questions for media scholars, translators, and communication experts. We invite papers that explore the dynamic intersection of cognition and media from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Submissions may address (but are not limited to): Cognitive theories of media consumption and productionMedia influence on perception, attention, memory, and emotionNarrative cognition in journalism, film, and digital storytellingMultilingual media processing and translation receptionCognitive approaches to subtitling, dubbing, and voiceoverThe role of cognitive load in audiovisual translationCognitive models of narrative and storytelling in mediaEye-tracking and neurocognitive studies in translation researchEmotion and affect in digital storytellingThe cognitive impact of multilingual media environmentsTranslating culture, humour, and emotion across mediaNeurological and psychological studies of translation and media receptionPerception of Time, Technology and Media in the Imagined 19th Century“Steam-powered” Media: Print, Telecommunication, and Information ManipulationHistorical cognition and media technologies (e.g., clocks, automatons, memory devices)Artificial Memory in Alternative Worlds PROPOSALS – SUBMISSION GUIDELINESINDIVIDUAL PAPERS (20 mins) Please attach a single document including:Title and abstract of your proposal (300 words max.)5 keywordsAuthor’s name, affiliation, email address and biography (100 words max.) Email: cognition.media2025@unich.it Deadline for submissions: 22nd September 2025Notification of acceptance: 30th September 2025Registration fee deadline: 4th Octobert 2025Conference fee: 200 EUR (standard) / 150 EUR (PhD student) by 4th October 2025

CALL FOR PAPERS COGNITION & THE MEDIA 30-31 October 2025 Università degli Studi “G. d’Annunzio di Chieti-Pescara” Read More »

CALL FOR PAPERS “Passaggi di Senso: Traduzioni e Linguaggi oltre i Confini”

University of Salerno (Italy) 23-24 February 2026 The conference aims to promote interdisciplinary and multilingual reflections on the role of languages in processes of mobility, contact and mediation in contemporary global contexts. Contributions may explore a wide range of topics related to language variation, translation practices, intercultural communication and sociolinguistic dynamics in multilingual and multicultural settings. Proposals (max. 300 words) should be submitted by 15 September 2025 to convtradspec2026@unisa.it. Important dates:– Abstract submission deadline: 15 September 2025– Notification of acceptance: 31 October 2025– Full paper submission for peer-reviewed volume: 30 May 2026 The conference will be held in hybrid format (in-person and online). No registration fees are required.

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