8th INTERNATIONAL PhD CONFERENCE

Reimagining Crises

Turning Points in Language Studies and Literary Narratives

Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies

04-05 November 2024, Sala B, Ca’ Bernardo, Venice

Call for papers

From the ancient Greek κρίσις – meaning decision, outcome – consequently used within the medical field to refer to a turning point in the condition of a patient, the term “crisis” has gradually acquired a figurative meaning, referring to pivotal moments in which a crucial transition will alter the state of affairs. The 8th Doctoral Conference draws inspiration from such a term and it aims to explore the nuanced implications of crises and turning points within the disciplines of Linguistics, Literature, Language Teaching and Translation and Interpreting. These fields constitute the essence of the Department of Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies of Ca’ Foscari University and its Doctoral Programme.

In Linguistics, turning points can be taken into consideration either in terms of linguistic change in the evolution of languages throughout their history or as a breakthrough in developing innovative methodologies. Literature, through its imaginative potential, has enabled writers to transpose reality into poetic forms, providing ways to comment on and analyze critical scenarios masterfully. Language Teaching and Translation Studies have both evolved through linguistic, cultural and technological turns leading towards a reassessment of teaching and translation practices, along with changes related to the role of the teacher and of the translator.

Listed below, you shall find more specific guidelines and ideas to further explore the concepts of crises and turning points for each research area. We also encourage proposals that combine the below-mentioned areas together with different ones.

Linguistics: papers focusing on historical and experimental linguistics; contributions centered on linguistic change induced by linguistic and extra-linguistic factors representing a turning point in the evolution of languages; experimental studies that provide both online and offline data on language acquisition and processing through novel paradigms. The application of technological modalities and innovative approaches is particularly appreciated.

Literature: papers related to prose, poetry and drama literary works that have traced critical scenarios and addressed major cultural breakthroughs during the 20th and 21st centuries. Such texts must unify observation of moments of crisis with (ri)elaborations and reactions aimed at overcoming the critical juncture. Peculiar attention shall be reserved to narrative places and spaces, either extremely close to historical reality or oriented towards fictional perspectives.

Language Teaching: papers focusing on the transition from teachers’ centered methods to student centered ones; on the new methodology oriented towards communicative methods, incorporating innovative tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and strategies focused on interculturalism and multilingualism.

Translation and Interpreting: papers exploring the new pivotal phase that the discipline is now facing due to the widespread use of tools such as Neural Machine Translation (NMT) and AI among professional and non-professional translators. The focus should be on theoretical insights, innovative methodologies and tools, new challenges for the translation and interpreting professions, and ethics.

How to apply

Candidates are required to submit their application exclusively through this Google Form. We welcome anonymous submissions of abstracts (max. 250 words) for 20-minute papers in .pdf format and named “DC_Unive2024_Abstract”. It shall contain the title of the intervention, an essential bibliography (max. 5 references), and 5 keywords. Please attach a separate file in .pdf format containing a short biographical note (max. 100 words). The file must be named “LastName_Name_DC_Unive2024”. The abstract’s language and the working language of the conference is English.

The event will be held in-person and registration will be free of charge. After the event, we intend to publish a Book of Abstracts on the conference website. We welcome contributions from PhD students currently enrolled in a doctoral programme, as well as research doctors who obtained their degree no more than one year ago, from Italian or international universities. We look forward to receiving your proposals.

Abstract submission deadline: 8 July 2024

Notice of proposals acceptance: 16 September 2024

Keynote speakers: Mikhail Kissine, Penelope V. Pelizzon, Federico Zanettin

Scientific committee: Paolo Balboni, Chiara Branchini, Magda Campanini, Margherita Cannavacciuolo, Fabio Caon, Caterina Carpinato, Massimo Ciaravolo, Carmel Mary Coonan, Giuseppe De Bonis, Florencio del Barrio de la Rosa, Maria Elisa Fina, Cristina Fossaluzza, Iliana Krapova, Gianluca Lebani, Maria Cecilia Luise, Lara Mantovan, Marcella Menegale, Filomena Mitrano, Linda Rossato, Mônica Muniz de Sousa Simas, Adrián J. Sáez, Alice Suozzi, Alessandro Scarsella, Graziano Serragiotto, Massimo Stella, Francesca Volpato.

Organising committee: Giulia Cavalli, Chiara Facipieri, Carolina Celeste Granini, Paola Grasso, Maria Grazia Marrocu, Emanuela Masi, Silla Paneghel, Silvia Scolaro, Francesco Tortato.