In Medias Res: Uses of Narrative in English Language Studies

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International Departments of English Association (IDEA)
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International Departments of English Association (IDEA) is pleased to announce: In Medias Res: Uses of Narrative in English Language Studies, an international interdisciplinary conference for language teachers, translators and literary scholars to be held in Kyrenia in collaboration with Near East University, on September 26th and 27th, 2013. The symposium aims to discuss the narrative aspect of English Language Teaching in conjunction with Literary and Translation Studies.

The narrative of "participating" in language studies is often non-linear, disjointed and disrupted. Every attempt to "read", "teach," "learn" or to "translate" has a different trajectory, with multiple points of departure, multiple story-lines and multiple potential endings. Individual narratives converge with preceding ones and are shaped by other participators, teachers, learners, researchers and writers. Each scholarly intersection results in an alternative narrative that would not otherwise be possible. In this sense, every textual beginning in language studies, be it in person, in the classroom or on paper, inevitably starts from a/the "middle".

By focusing on the issue of narrative, we seek to provide a forum for the investigation of the various dimensions of language teaching and learning practices within different cultural and social contexts. We also invite reflection on the ways in which narrative is addressed in various literary and cultural texts, past and present.

The conference aims to bring together scholars from all disciplines and intellectual orientations. Submissions may include, but are not limited to, an exploration of the following topics: narratology – communication studies - linguistics - subjecthood – semantics – pragmatics – speech acts – translation theory – language learning theories – language teaching methodology – teaching strategies and styles –innovative approaches – blended-hybrid instruction – discourse analysis –constructivism – sociolinguistics- semiotics – multilingualism