Languages at War conference, 2011

International Conference, Imperial War Museum, London.
7-9 April 2011
Languages at War: policies and practices of language contacts in conflict

This interdisciplinary conference, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, will bring together current research on the role of languages in war, conflict and peacemaking situations, focusing on such questions as:

- What are the foreign language policies of government, military and multilateral agencies in conflict situations?
- What are the language-related experiences of those involved ‘on the ground’ in these conflicts?
- What are the implications for language intermediaries who work in conflict zones?

Invited speakers include Professor Joanna Bourke (Birkbeck), and Professor Mona Baker (Manchester), and there will be contributions from employing agencies and from practitioners. Papers are invited (from historians, war studies specialists, cultural studies scholars, translation/interpreting specialists) for Panel sessions on ‘Meeting the other in war and conflict’ and ‘Interpreting /Translating in war and conflict’. We are particularly keen to have contributions from early career researchers, as well as from more experienced researchers and practitioners.

Paper proposals should provide a) name/institutional affiliation; b) 200 word abstract of proposed paper, c) brief statement of research interest.

Proposals should be sent to Professor Hilary Footitt at the University of Reading (h.a.foot at reading.ac.uk) by 30th September 2010.