CfP: Languages and the First World War II 2018 Conference

Europe House London, 10 September
KU Leuven, Brussels Campus, 12 September

Background
Following a successful first international conference on Languages and the First World War (University of Antwerp and the British Library, June 2014), two successful books of essays (Palgrave-MacMillan), and the following that has been built up (@LanguagesFWW and the blog, https://languagesandthefirstworldwar.wordpress.com/, run by Julian Walker), the organisers are pleased to announce the second Languages and the First World War conference for 10 and 12 September 2018.

The 2018 conference will be held at Europe House London (Westminster, 10 September) and at KU Leuven Belgium (Brussels Campus, Paternoster lecture theatre, 12 September).

Scope of the conference
The 2018 conference will broaden the scope of the subject of languages and the First World War. While 2018 as the final centennial year suggests a concentration on the end of the war, Languages and the First World War II also aims to extend the subject area into the aftermath of the war.

We would therefore welcome abstract submissions from academic researchers as well as from educational practitioners, museum and archive staff, heritage organisations and non-profit organisations and associations (including cultural, youth, local history).

Call for papers
Papers for 20-25 minute presentations are invited that:
Discuss the causes, progress and aftermath of specific aspects of the First World War from a language point of view.
Explore physical territories with geo-political wartime and aftermath shifts, often through ethnic affiliation.
Analyse the many language interpretations in place, including the role and position of (early community) interpreting, translation and culture mediation.

In detail
Causes, progress and aftermath of the war from a linguistic point of view include, but not exclusively, dialect, slang, swearing, officialese, the language of mourning, the language of international post-war negotiation, interpreting, multilingualism, propaganda, popular media, correspondence, graffiti, non-verbal communication systems, the language of regimental diaries, memoirs and phrasebooks, all will be considered.

We would particularly welcome contributions on specific languages relating to geo-political complexities. These include Balkan languages, Turkish, Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Greek, Portuguese, Arabic, Indian languages, African languages, Chinese, and Japanese.

The First World War created many intercultural transfers and linguistic interpretations. These include the linguistic aspects of treaties such as the Versailles Conference; and the rhetoric of resettlement, avoidance, resentment, occupation, reconciliation, pilgrimages, battlefield guides, commemorations and memories. There are also languages and shifts in language use in relation to racial orientation and the deliberate absence of languages, the omission of the other.

Papers can easily be cross-disciplinary, but within a context of monolingualism or multilingualism. In that respect, cross-cultural mediation and translation/interpreting can be seen as a means for ideologies of acculturation or isolation.

Panels, posters
The organisers are equally interested in proposals for panels. PhD students are invited to submit posters for a poster session during the lunch break.

Publication
As with the first conference the organisers aim to publish at least one volume stemming from conference contributions. The first conference papers were published by Palgrave-MacMillan, who have expressed interest in publishing further texts.

Scientific committee
Marnix Beyen, University of Antwerp
Elke Brems, University of Leuven
Dominiek Dendooven, In Flanders Fields Museum
Peter Doyle, London Southbank University
Hilary Footitt, Uinversity of Reading
Jane Potter, Oxford Brookes University
Jonathon Robinson, British Library
Katya Rogatchevskaya, British Library
Odile Roynette, Université de Franch-Comté
Tamara Scheer, University of Vienna
Tom Toremans, University of Leuven
Luc Vandeweyer, Rijksarchief Brussels, State Archives of Belgium
Karla Vanraepenbusch, CEGESOMA, State Archives of Belgium
Antoon Vrints, University of Ghent

Organising committee
Marnix Beyen, University of Antwerp
Christophe Declercq, KU Leuven (Brussels Campus) and University College of London
Myrthel Van Etterbeeck, KU Leuven (Brussels Campus)
Julian Walker, University College London and British Library

Abstracts and proposals for panels or posters
Abstracts of 250 words, proposals for panels and posters to be sent to languages.fww@outlook.com by 20 March, 2018.
Please make sure you refer to the preferred location for your paper (London OR Brussels), or that you are able to attend both legs.
Confirmation of acceptance: 30 March, 2018.

Registration
• The London leg, at Europe House, is free, but requires registration at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/languages-and-the-first-world-ii-london-leg-10-september-tickets-43555399372
• The conference fee for the Brussels leg is 30 euro for the day. Registration is required at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/languages-and-the-first-world-ii-brussels-leg-12-september-tickets-43602393934. We take cash payments at the registration desk on the day itself. The conference fee covers tea, coffee and biscuits during the break, and a light lunch.
• Students of all levels (BA, MA and PhD) can attend for free but need to register at either Eventbrite page.

Additional information on the Brussels leg
The Brussels Campus of KU Leuven is located within walking distance of various key First World War sites that include CEGESOMA, the Belgian national archives, the War Heritage Institute and the Belvue museum.
Also, the day after the Brussels leg of Languages and the First World War II a one day symposium will be held on 13 September – at the same location – on Belgian refugees and the First World War.

For interest or further questions, please contact Languages and the First World War at languages.fww@outlook.com
Download CfP: update Call for Papers – Languages and the FWW II – 10-12Sep2018

Julian Walker, Christophe Declercq