CFP: "Giving and Taking Offence" (Portugal) (15/4/ 2007; 21- 22/6/2007)

Call for Papers

Proposed dates: 21st - 22nd June 2007

"Giving and Taking Offence"

Venue: Department of Languages and Cultures, University of Aveiro, =
Portugal

""No man lives without jostling and being jostled; in all ways he has to =
elbow himself through the world, giving and receiving offence." ~ =
Thomas Carlyle, "Sir Walter Scott", in London and Westminster Review, 12 =
November 1838

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Recent events suggest that we live in an ever more offendable world. =
Images of the Prophet, of Christ, of ourselves; words of the Pope, of =
the Hungarian Prime Minister, the words and images of Mel Gibson, the =
world-view of Borat, to mention just the most recent. Just as offence =
can be advertently or inadvertently given, so it can be genuinely or =
strategically taken. When it is given and taken deliberately it is part =
of an explicit process of relations of power. When it is inadvertently =
given and taken, it is part of social or cultural misunderstanding (or =
implicit relations of power). This conference is deeply interested in =
both processes. If outrage comes from "tasting an impotence of which =
being-named is the sign" (J.M. Coetzee) where can we go in a world where =
there is no escape from the naming by others?=20

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We are told we live in a world of global communication, yet the tools of =
communication, both technological and linguistic, are unevenly =
distributed and unevenly mastered. Lacking extensive knowledge of one =
another both as individuals and as members of different national, =
cultural and speech communities, we operate within unequal and =
non-transparent fields. Breakdowns, when they occur, can easily assume =
an overheated emotional character. This is especially the case if there =
is a history of misunderstanding or disagreement.

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The conference will therefore examine the mechanics and outcomes of =
giving and taking offence in cultural processes of all types, especially =
at the points where interfaces occur between nations, cultures, =
ethnicities, generations and the sexes: from current affairs to art, =
from bioethics to language and pragmatics, from literature to sport, =
from body politics to popular music.=20

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It is proposed to hold a two-day conference on "Giving and Taking =
Offence" at the Department of Languages and Cultures, University of =
Aveiro, Portugal and we accordingly invite abstracts (maximum of 250 =
words) for papers of up to 20 minutes duration in any of the areas =
mentioned above, to be received before 15th April 2007. Papers (and =
abstracts) must be presented in either English or Portuguese; =
notification of acceptance will be made by the end of April 2007. The =
names of keynote speakers will be announced shortly.

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Conference Enrolment Fee: 80 Euros

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Payment can be made by bank transfer to "Universidade de Aveiro", =
account n=BA 00 35 0123 00097701930 10 or by cheque made out to =
"Universidade de Aveiro" and sent to the organiser:

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Prof. A.D. Barker,

Department of Languages and Cultures,

University of Aveiro,

3810-193 Aveiro,

Portugal.

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E-mail: abarker_at_dlc.ua.pt =20

Dept. fax: 00 351 234 370940

Dept. tel: 00 351 234 370358

Dept. e-mail: sec_at_dlc.ua.pt=20

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Received on Sat Dec 09 2006 - 17:46:48 EST