Call for papers for a sociolinguistic session

 

Language and gender: New topics in new contexts

 

In the modern world, the variety of social identities assumed and social contacts established create new contexts for the interplay of gender and language. Convinced that gender is an ever-salient social category relevant to language behaviour, we would like to point to new directions in language and gender studies, which are guided by the new contexts of research. The approach necessarily involves interdisciplinarity and is informed by insights from sociology, psychology, and economics. Within the more traditional approach, gender variation in Polish will be considered. In particular, it is interesting to see to what extent patterns of gender variation in Polish replicate those found in the English language.

 

We suggest that the following topics be addressed, with special reference to language-related issues. Specific proposed subjects are given in brackets.

 

GENDER STEREOTYPES

(the relationship between gender stereotypes, language behaviour and speaker perception)

 

GENDER AND THE MEDIA

(identity construction based on gendered role models projected by/in the media)

 

GENDER AND CONSUMER CULTURE

(gender stereotypes in advertising; the discourse of service encounters)

 

GENDER AND CORPORATE CULTURE

(gendered professional identity, feminisation of the workplace)

 

GENDER VARIATION IN LANGUAGE

(gender variation in Polish)

 

We will gladly consider other topics related to the above.

 

Organisers: Agnieszka Kiełkiewicz-Janowiak and Joanna Pawelczyk (Poznań).

 

Abstracts:

 

Please submit a one-page abstract (including references) as a word document or .pdf file attached to an e-mail message to Agnieszka Kiełkiewicz-Janowiak. Include your name, affiliation, e-mail address, and the title of the abstract in the text of the e-mail.

 

Deadline for submission is March 15, 2004. Participants will be notified about acceptance by March 20, 2004.

 

Presentations will last 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute discussion period. The language of the conference is English.

 

Contact:

 

For any questions concerning the section please contact Agnieszka Kiełkiewicz-Janowiak. Information on the general programme of the 35th Poznań Linguistic Meeting as well as registration and accommodation can be found on the homepage of the conference.