IPSA Madrid 2012: Language Politics

IPSA ha aceptado el panel propuesto con Alistair Cole para el Congreso Mundial de Ciencia Política de 2012 que se celebrará en Madrid. Si estáis interesados en participar aquí viene el abstract.

Ethno-linguistic Mobilisation and Vernacular Languages in a Globalised Context:

Language currently constitutes a very sensitive nexus between the concepts of territory and community. According to the UNESCO, 30,000 languages have disappeared within the last 5,000 years; and this phenomenon considerably accelerated from the XIX Century.

Processes of nation-state building, colonialism or globalisation have converted language into an essential political instrument of domination. Notwithstanding the theses of “modernist” authors such as Deutsh or Gellner, this process of cultural/linguistic rationalisation has partially failed. Indeed, empirical research demonstrates both the emergence of a variety of ethno-linguistic mobilisations (including social movements, pressure groups, formal parties and political institutions) in support of a new deal for regional languages and the taking into consideration of this issue by central governments.

This panel deliberately focuses on vernacular languages. This choice excludes the other tongues like those imported by migrants or those spoken by very specific communities (like Hebrew in the US for instance). By doing so, it aims to explore and compare the different strategies used by ethno-linguistic movements to defend regional languages in the world. The panel’s purpose consists in obtaining a better understanding of the connection between the concepts of identity, territory and language in a global context.

Para mandar un abstract las reglas son las siguientes:

Rules for Participation

  • Anyone can submit an abstract.  You do not need to be a member of IPSA until you register for the congress.  However, you must be signed up for a free IPSA website account to be able to submit an abstract.
  • Only the main author should submit the abstract/paper proposal.  Co-authors can be added after.
  • To permit maximize participation in the world congress, it is necessary to limit the number of appearances of any single individual as follows:
  • No individual may make more than one appearance in the programme in each of the following categories:
  • Chair or co-chair of a session
  • Papergiver
  • Discussant
  • Proposals for any session except a LOC* session must be submitted in English or French.  Abstracts for LOC sessions may be submitted in Spanish.
  • Abstracts must not exceed 1500 characters (approximately 250 words).  Please do not include references, bibliographical notes, or your contact information in the abstract text.
  • Review your use of language.  Use a spell-checker to make sure you have not made any mistakes.  Please do not use ALL CAPS or leave titles in lower case letters.

If you are accepted:

  • You will be asked to submit the complete paper.
  • Be prepared to present your paper orally, in no more than 15 minutes at the congress.
  • Your name will ONLY appear in the printed program if you register by the Early Registration deadline - March 11, 2012.

Un saludo, Jean-Baptiste Harguindéguy