Members’ Events

  ***CALL FOR PAPERS*** ELF Communication Today: Acceptability and Accessibility in Focus University of Salerno, Italy 4-5 December 2024 Abstracts of no more than 300 words and a brief bio should be sent to elf2024@unisa.it by 10 September 2024. Abstracts should clearly state the research question, methodology, (expected) findings, and implications. Important Dates: Deadline for abstract submission: 10 September 2024 Notification of abstract acceptance: 30 September 2024 Conference dates: 4-5 December 2024   We are pleased to announce a call for papers for the conference “ELF Communication Today: Acceptability and Accessibility in Focus” that will be held on 4 and 5 December 2024 at the University of Salerno, Italy. This conference, which marks the end of the first year of the PRIN 2022 PNRR project “Acceptability strategies through variations of English as a lingua franca in multicultural and multimodal discourse types” (University of Salento | University of Salerno) funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, aims to offer a platform for interdisciplinary scholarly exchange on the features and complexities of contemporary English communication across various fields and global contexts. It emphasizes the opportunities and challenges associated with the acceptability and accessibility of English(es) and English as a lingua franca (ELF). In light of the pervasive use of English across different global contexts, professional environments, and institutional domains, how can we define language accessibility and acceptability for this lingua franca? What are the processes and mechanisms by which accessibility and acceptability are pursued and/or realized in contemporary English practices? What are the implications when these efforts fall short? The widespread use of English, which transcends national borders and cultural boundaries while facilitating global interactions across different levels of formality and specialization, presents a multitude of linguistic, sociocultural, and pragmatic challenges. One angle that we are interested in exploring relates to the multifaceted nature of English, which many users perceive simultaneously as simple yet elusive, coveted yet unexceptional, and global yet exclusive. A noteworthy example of the implications of the multiplicity of English can be observed within the EU. In his recent article in World Englishes, Modiano (2024) argues that English has significantly shaped the sociocultural fabric of European society and it serves as a medium through which European citizens express support for European integration and a common European identity. He raises the critical question of whether an EU English – characterized by unique forms and functions resulting from European nativization processes and thus freed from the stronghold of Inner Circle varieties – can gain acceptance. While recent research indicates a growing awareness and acceptance among global users of localized, dehegemonized, and hybridized forms of English (see, for instance, Boonsuk, Ambel & McKinley, 2021), there is broad acknowledgement that obstacles to linguistic heterogeneity persist, particularly in formal, gatekeeping domains (Hamid, 2023; Sah & Fang, 2024). Van Dijk (2000, p. 73) asserted that “differences of power between different groups are reflected in their differential access to public discourse,” with members of elite groups enjoying much greater access. Recent developments, including the Covid-19 pandemic and global conflicts, have underscored the urgency of ensuring accessibility to public discourse to safeguard public health, safety and well-being. Thus, another key focus of this conference is to investigate efforts by international, supranational, and/or local institutions and individuals to achieve greater accessibility in their English communication. These efforts can be explored through the linguistic, discursive, and communicative strategies adopted to enhance communication effectiveness with multilingual and multicultural audiences across different formats. Additionally, individuals and organizations have also capitalized on resources such as translanguaging, multilingualism, translation, multimodality and spatiality in their linguistic practices in their efforts to enact intercultural stances, to overcome barriers posed by the potential lack of linguistic, digital and/or specialized skills or knowledge, and to develop more inclusive discourses. We welcome submissions of empirical studies, theoretical contributions, case studies, and innovative research methodologies on the following topics: • Acceptability of ELF and Englishes • Adaptations to specialized content for non-specialized audiences • Attitudes towards English(es) and language ideologies • ELF and language ownership • ELF in academia • ELF in online communication • ELF in the dissemination of scientific knowledge and research • English(es) and European identity • Inclusivity initiatives and strategies in ELF-mediated interactions • Institutional uses of English • Linguistic hybridization and acceptability • Multilingualism, translanguaging and translation in today’s global communication • Multimodality and digital resources for the enhancement of ELF communication • Nativization and localization of English in the EU • Power and inequality in ELF interactions • Strategies for accessibility in crisis communication Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking conference as we explore the dynamics of the use of English as a lingua franca in today’s interconnected world. Local Conference Convenors Jacqueline Aiello, Rita Calabrese and Rossella Latorraca (University of Salerno) Scientific Committee Jacqueline Aiello (University of Salerno) Rita Calabrese (University of Salerno) Maria Grazia Guido (University of Salento) Pietro Luigi Iaia (University of Salento) Rossella Latorraca (University of Salerno) Mariarosaria Provenzano (University of Salento)   References Boonsuk, Y., Ambel, E.A., & McKinley, J. (2021). Developing awareness of Global Englishes: Moving away from ‘native standards’ for Thai university ELT. System, 99, 102511. Hamid, M. O. (2023). English as a Southern language. Language in Society, 52(3), 409–432. doi:10.1017/S0047404522000069 Modiano, M. (2024). Identity and standards for English as a European Union lingua franca. World Englishes, 43, 210–227. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12646 Sah, P.K. & Fang, F. (2024), Decolonizing English-Medium Instruction in the Global South. TESOL Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3307 van Dijk, T. A. (2000). Discourse and Access. In R. Phillipson (Ed.). Rights to Language: Equity, Power, and Education. New York: Routledge.

***CALL FOR PAPERS***ANOMALIES. DOCTORAL CONFERENCE. Disruptions from linguistic, literary, and cultural norms3-5 December 2024Università di Milano PROPOSALSTo submit a proposal, please send the following attachments in Word and PDF format to the e-mail address convegno.anomalie@unimi.it by 21 July: Abstract (individual proposal) in Italian and/or English.Individual abstracts should not exceed 300 words and 3 keywords, and should be anonymised (i.e. do not enter personal information in the text and the name of the file); Abstract (panel or round table proposal) in Italian and/or English. Abstracts for panels or round tables should not exceed 400 words and 5 keywords, and should be anonymised. Biosketch of each author in Italian and/or English should not exceed 50-100 words and should be included in a file different from that of the abstractKEY DATES21 JULY 2024: Deadline for abstract submission22 SEPTEMBER 2024: Notification of acceptance3-5 DECEMBER 2024: Conference dates CONFERENCE VENUESAULA MALLIANI, Via Festa del Perdono 7AULA T13, P.zza Indro Montanelli 1, Sesto S. GiovanniMILANO CONTACTSconvegno.anomalie@unimi.it

International Conference «Food x Language: Adapting and representing food across media and genres in English and in Spanish/Lengua y comida: adaptaciones y representaciones de la comida a través de los medios de comunicación y de los géneros textuales en inglés y español» Venice, 17-18 October 2024 Sala B – Ca’ Bernardo – “Ca’ Foscari” University of Venice The Organising Committee is happy to present the International Conference on “Food x Language: adapting and representing food across media and genres in English and in Spanish” (“Lengua y comida: adaptaciones y representaciones de la comida a través de los medios de comunicación y de los géneros textuales en inglés y español”). The event will take place on 17th and 18th October 2024 in Ca’ Bernardo, one the buildings hosting the Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Call for Papers *** Deadline Extension *** Food is an important means for human societies not only because it provides nutrition but also for its socializing function. The rituals accompanying its preparation and consumption have always favoured social bonding in any kind of human civilization. However, the participants in communication about food and the ways in which this form of communication happens vary according to several factors, which include gender and age of the participants as well as their role and status in society as well as the reciprocal relations they have with the other members of a specific group. Traditionally, communication about food has happened asynchronously through printed material, however, new technologies and – in recent years – social media have introduced a new element of interaction that has changed the way in which food and foodways are narrated and constantly remediated between individuals and social groups.   The two-day conference seeks to bring together scholars who conduct their research on food-related communication. The focus of the conference is communication involving English and Spanish, either alone or in a contrastive perspective. Particularly welcome are contributions that investigate the communicative strategies and dynamics through which cultural elements connected to food-related communication in these two languages and cultures are adapted using several media and genres through which food is narrated and represented. Socio-linguistic, socio-cultural, multimodal, and linguistic approaches are especially welcome.Therefore, we invite contributions addressing the main conference theme as well as relating to the following specific themes: Due to numerous requests, we have extended the deadline, so the new deadline is no longer June 30th but 20th July 2024. Proposals should be sent as email attachments in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Abstracts should be in either English or Spanish and should be no longer than 300 words (references included). Prospective participants should also provide a short bio note (no longer than 100 words).Emails should be sent to food.language@unive.it – object of the email: “CONFERENCE FOOD X LANGUAGE/LENGUA Y COMIDA – ABSTRACT PROPOSAL”. Plenary speakers Committees Organising committee Scientific committee English component Spanish component Contacts food.language@unive.it

CALL FOR PAPERS: (Im)politeness on the Small ScreenThursday 5 – Friday 6 December, 2024University of Naples L’Orientale (Im)politeness is a core interpersonal function of language, deeply linked to sociocultural values, and fundamental for meaning and context interpretation. The Conference aims to analyse facework practices and (im)politeness strategies in tv series, considering a variety of sources (drama, comedy, docu-series, talk shows, sitcoms, animated series, etc.). By welcoming different approaches, including pragmatics, stylistics, argumentation, multimodality, and characterisation, the conference offers a space for interdisciplinary exchange. We invite proposals for 20-minute papers (in Italian or English) on a wide range of topics related to (im)politeness in televisual discourse. The main topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:● (Im)politeness in televised representation;● (Im)politeness as fictional characterisation in tv series;● Mock-politeness, humour, sarcasm, banter;● Multimodal approaches to (im)polite non-verbal language;● Rhetoric in inter-character dynamics;● Stylistics and narration in tv series;● Persuasive discourse;● Taboo language;● Audio-visual translation and (Im)politeness Theory;● Further methodological approaches to audience perception and involvement. We welcome contributions from scholars across a variety of disciplines, including: linguistic and literary pragmatics, stylistics, argumentation, multimodality, media studies, and sociolinguistics. The Conference will also encourage further critical insights on the role of online streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Paramount+, Hulu, etc.) in language use. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and sent as email attachments in .doc or .docx format to c.ghezzi@unior.it and r.esposito12@unior.it by 21/06/2024. 21/07/2024 Proposals should include:– full name;–  academic position;– affiliation;– email address;–  keywords (5 max.)–  references (5 max.) Notice of acceptance will be sent by 31/07/2024.Following the Conference, authors will be invited to publish their papers in a collection of essays. Organising and Scientific CommitteeChiara Ghezzi (University of Naples L’Orientale) Roberto Esposito (University of Naples L’Orientale) Selected bibliographyAttardo, Salvatore. 2017. “Humour and Pragmatics”. In The Routledge Handbook of Language and Humor, edited by S. Attardo, 174-188. New York: Routledge.Brown, Penelope, and Stephen C. Levinson. 1987. Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.Culpeper, Jonathan. 1996. “Towards an Anatomy of Impoliteness”. Journal of Pragmatics25(3):349–67.Culpeper, Jonathan. 2001. Language and Characterisation: People in Plays and Other Texts.Harlow England, New York: Longman.Culpeper, Jonathan. 2011. Impoliteness: Using Language to Cause Offence. Cambridge University Press.Culpeper, Jonathan, Michael Haugh, and Daniel Z. Kádár. (Eds.) 2017. The Palgrave Handbook of (Im)politeness. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.Culpeper, Jonathan. 2019. “Taboo language and impoliteness”. In Oxford Handbook of TabooWords and Language, edited by K. Allan, 28-40. New York: Oxford University Press.Desilla, Louisa. 2019. “Pragmatics and Audiovisual Translation”. In The Routledge Handbook of Audiovisual Translation, edited by L. Pérez-González, 242-259. Oxon: Routledge.Dynel, Marta. 2016. “Conceptualizing Conversational Humour as (Im)Politeness: The Case of Film Talk”. Journal of Politeness Research 12 (1): 117–47.Hoffman, Christian, and Monica Kirner-Ludwig. (Eds.) 2008. Telecinematic Stylistics. London: Bloomsbury.Jacobs, Jason, and Steven Peacock. (Eds.) 2013. Television Aesthetics and Style. London: Bloomsbury.Kádár, Dániel Z., and Michael Haugh. 2013. Understanding Politeness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Kress, Gunther, and Theo van Leeuwen. 2006. Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. Second Edition. London: Routledge.Locher, Miriam A., and Andreas H. Jucker. (Eds.) 2017. Pragmatics of Fiction. Berlin; Boston: De Gruyter.Nørgaard, Nina. 2010. “Multimodal Stylistics: the Happy Marriage of Stylistics and Semiotics”. In Semiotics: Theory and Applications, edited by S. C. Hamel, 255-260. Nova Science Publishers.Perelman, Chaim, and Lucie Olbrechts-Tyteca. 1973. The New Rhetoric. A Treatise on Argumentation. Notre Dame; London: University of Notre Dame Press.Shardakova, Maria. “Politeness, Teasing and Humour”. 2017. In The Routledge Handbook of Language and Humor, edited by S. Attardo, 219-233. New York: Routledge.Simpson, Paul, and Derek Bousefield. 2017. “Humour and Stylistics”. In The Routledge Handbook of Language and Humor, edited by S. Attardo, 158-173. New York: Routledge.Sorlin, Sandrine. (ed.) 2019. Stylistic Manipulation of the Reader in Contemporary Fiction. London: Bloomsbury.Talebzadeh, Hossenin, and Marzieh Khazraie. 2023. ““You can f*** get lost already”: (Responding to) impoliteness in the (in-)authentic discourse of comedy and crime TV series and movies”. Journal of Politeness Research 19 (2): 485-520.van Eemeren, Frans H., and Peter Houtlosser. 2005. Argumentation in Practice. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company

CALL FOR PAPERS International Conference Shifting Boundaries: AI and Human Interactions Redefining Reality (SHAI) 06-08 November 2024 Palazzo Du Mesnil, Sala Conferenze Via Chiatamone 61/62 Napoli, Italy The conference aims to delve into the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence – including chatbots, virtual assistants, and advanced technologies associated with machine learning and deep learning – on human interactions and reality perception. In an era where digital tools have become integral to communication, our understanding of the relationship between individuals and intelligent machines has evolved significantly. This conference seeks to explore how the advent of advanced digital technologies is reshaping our daily interactions, social contexts, and perception of reality, leading to the construction of alternative yet believable new realities. The scholarly attention towards digital tools in the realm of communication has a longstanding history. As early as the late 1990s and early 2000s, academics such as Susan Herring (1996) and David Crystal (2011) had begun to anticipate the transformative impact of these technologies on the dynamics of human interactions. Recent studies have investigated metaverse and augmented reality experiences, particularly within video games utilizing AI to create immersive environments fraught with bias and discrimination (Heritage 2021). Furthermore, advancements such as ChatGPT-4 have raised concerns about the manipulation of public opinion through artificially generated content, leading to emotionally charged online discussions (Ahmad 2023; Montasari 2024). One example is the massive diffusion of fake news and deepfakes produced with AI (Mongibello 2023) during presidential campaigns (Vaccari and Chadwick 2020). Despite these challenges, AI technologies have also proven to be invaluable in fields such as language teaching (Bibauw et al. 2020) and scientific research, offering new avenues for real-time interactions and data analysis (Curry et al. 2024; Zappavigna 2023). Through an interdisciplinary approach, the conference aims to investigate the multifaceted implications of interactions between artificial intelligence and human users. Special emphasis will be placed on the linguistic and discursive dimensions of these interactions, exploring the role of language in mediating between individuals and AI, and addressing issues of bias and discrimination in AI systems employed in video games, chatbots, virtual assistants etc. We invite submissions that contribute to the critical debate surrounding the complexities of the relationship between artificial intelligence, language, and society, to foster a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of AI and human interactions. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to: • Language, Discourse, and AI Interaction • Gender and Diversity in AI Applications • Ethical Considerations and Bias in AI Systems • AI in Virtual Worlds • Education and training in the era of AI • Human-Centred AI Design • AI in Scientific Research • AI in Creative Industries and Cultural Production • Diversity and Inclusion in AI The conference will be in person only. The language of the conference is English.   References Ahmad, S.F., Han, H., Alam, M.M. et al. (2023), “Impact of artificial intelligence on human loss in decision making, laziness and safety in education”, Humanities, Social Sciences and Communication, 10, 311; Bibauw, S., Van den Noortgate, W., Francois, F., & Desmet, P. (2022), “Dialogue systems for language learning: A meta-analysis”, Language Learning & Technology, 26(1), 1-24. Crystal, D. (2011), Internet Linguistics: A Student Guide, London: Routledge. Curry N., Baker P., Brookes G., (2024), “Generative AI for corpus approaches to discourse studies: A critical evaluation of ChatGPT”, Applied Corpus Linguistics, 4.1. Heritage, F. (2021). Language, Gender, and Videogames: Using Corpora to Analyze the Representation of Gender in Videogames, London: Palgrave Macmillan Herring, S. C. (ed.). (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Linguistic, social and cross-cultural perspectives, Amsterdam: Benjamins Mongibello, A. (2023). “How Political Deepfakes Shape Reality: A Visual Framing Analysis”, Textus, English Studies in Italy, 1/2023, pp. 91-112 Montasari, R. (2024). “The Dual Role of Artificial Intelligence in Online Disinformation: A Critical Analysis. In: Cyberspace, Cyberterrorism and the International Security in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”, Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50454-9_11 Vaccari C, Chadwick A (2020), “Deepfakes and disinformation: exploring the impact of synthetic political video on deception, uncertainty, and trust in news”, Social Media Soc 6(1) Zappavigna, M., 2023. “Hack your corpus analysis: how AI can assist corpus linguists deal with messy social media data”, Applied Corpus Linguistics, 3 (3).   Submission Guidelines: We invite proposals on any topic relevant to the conference theme. Submissions are limited to one abstract per person. Each talk selected for presentation will be allotted 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of discussion. Abstracts have to be written in English and should not exceed 350 words excluding references. Proposals should include: title of the talk, name of author and affiliation, email address, a short bio-bibliographical sketch (max 100 words) and up to five keywords. All submissions will undergo a peer-review process. Abstracts can be sent to shaiconference.unior@gmail.com. The deadline for submitting an abstract is July 15, 2024. For more information and updates, please send an email to shaiconference.unior@gmail.com or visit our website. If you want to know more about the University of Napoli “L’Orientale” please visit: https://www.unior.it/it   Important Dates: Abstract Submission Deadline: 15 July 2024 Notification of Acceptance: 09 September 2024 Conference Dates: 06-08 November 2024   Conference convenor: Anna Mongibello (Università di Napoli “L’Orientale”) – amongibello@unior.it   Scientific Committee Giuseppe Balirano, Università di Napoli “L’Orientale” Serge Bibauw, University of Louvain (Belgium) Paolo Frascà, University of Toronto, Toronto, (Canada) Adriano Ferraresi, Università di Bologna, Campus Forlì Frazer Heritage, Manchester Metropolitan University (UK) Francesca Raffi, Università di Macerata Katherine Russo, Università di Napoli “L’Orientale”   Organizing Committee Serena Cecchini, Università di Napoli “L’Orientale” Valentina De Brasi, Università di Napoli “L’Orientale” Giada Ciervo, Università di Napoli “L’Orientale” Beatrice Moretti, Università di Macerata Daniele Polizzi, Università di Bologna   Venue: University of Naples “L’Orientale”, Palazzo du Mesnil, via Chiatamone 61/62 – Napoli, Italy

Shakespeare Summer School ProgrammeTransforming Shakespeare “into something rich and strange”: The Tempest and its rewritings & adaptations24-28 June 2024, Sardinia, Italy Host University: University of Cagliari, Via Università, 40 https://www.unica.it/it; AssocProf Maria Grazia Dongu, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy dongu@unica.it “This is a timely and very welcome summer school, which by focussing on The Tempest allows us to reflect on the uniqueness of the island trope — both in the text and, as it were, in the location. The range of scholars participating in the summer school is impressive; I am also struck by the fact that, rather than being offered as a series of lectures, as sometimes happens, this summer school is attentively built around activities and exercises that put the students at the centre, and drive them to elaborate their own reflections on the topic. I cannot but applaud this initiative.” (Alessandra Petrina, University of Padova) Summer School programme Sardinia_The Tempest

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE — Pandemic Remedies across History. The Cultural and Discursive Representation of Pandemic Remedies Between the XVI and the XX Centuries. 18-19 June 2024 Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici   Keynote speakers/Conférences plénières: Massimiliano DEMATA, Università di Torino Claudio GRIMALDI, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Parthenope” Véronique MONTAGNE, Université Côte d’Azur Irma TAAVITSAINEN, University of Helsinki Girolamo TESSUTO, Università di Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’ Federica VEZZANI, Università di Padova The conference is organized as part of the FIRD project “Il rimedio tra divulgazione scientifica e fake news in Francia e in Inghilterra nel XVI e nel XX secolo”, which is financed by the Department of Humanities at the University of Ferrara.

Counsellors and Counselled. The Advice to Princes Tradition between the Hundred Years’ War and the British Interregnum. University of Padua, 12-13 September 2024http://appuntamenti.disll.unipd.it/counsellors-and-counselled/

LE DISOBBEDIENTI I giorni 13 e 14 giugno 2024 si terrà presso l’Università di Chieti-Pescara il convegno internazionale “Le disobbedienti” dedicato alle forme di disobbedienza, resistenza e autoaffermazione femminile sia sul piano letterario che filosofico. Il convegno, coorganizzato da Mariaconcetta Costantini, ha carattere interdisciplinare e vedrà la partecipazione di studiose e studiosi provenienti dall’Italia e dall’estero.

The international conference titled Remembering the Past, Inventing the Future: Italian American Artists and Writers between Nostalgia and Dream, organized by Professor Francesca D’Alfonso, Director of the University Center for Italian American and Canadian Studies (CUSIAC), aims to explore how Italian American artists and writers have imaginatively manifested their bond with their roots. In its complex and varied manifestation, this phenomenon implies a discourse that must be considered both in terms of socio-historical roots and – for those born in the United States – through an identity forged by behavioral codes, linguistic traces and folk tales understood as part of familial context and ethnic-regional tradition. Although the critique of Italian American literature is a terrain that has already been widely explored, it must be said that there is still significant space for further exploration of the phenomenon, especially when analyzed from a culturological perspective.  In this respect, the conference aims to highlight how, in recent years, research is uncovering and rediscovering personalities, hidden narratives and less well-known, if not completely forgotten, aspects of the Italian American literary and artistic tradition. At the center of the conference promoted by CUSIAC are innovative and stimulating readings, analyses and methods that, from a variety of perspectives, will address the paradigms of nostalgia and dream as declined by writers, poets, painters, and musicians from the American continent (United States, Canada, Latin America) profoundly connected to Italy.