In almost every inquiry into social sciences, language and communication surface as discourse, which then becomes subject to analysis as it interacts with the context of participants, topics, ideologies and media. The study of discourse(s) shows how variation is reflective of a wide range of contexts. In taking this highly contextualized view on language we think it is worthwhile to look into relationships between the micro-level of language practices and the broader context and social order.
In order to capture linguistic/discursive variation, we need to take on a versatile, open-minded and interdisciplinary approach. Thus, we would like to encourage the study of variation through combined quantitative and qualitative methods. This approach benefits from the systematicity and accuracy of quantitative analysis as well as an in-depth ethnographic insight into participants and contexts offered by the qualitative paradigm. For example, current work within sociolinguistic language and gender studies highlights the need for researchers to produce research which combines quantitative and qualitative methods in order to move the discipline forward (Mullany 2007, 2008).
We welcome papers on the social and cultural aspects of language/discourse in which their authors:
Agnieszka Kiełkiewicz-Janowiak (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań), email: kagniesz <at> ifa.amu.edu.pl
Joanna Pawelczyk (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań), email: pasia <at> ifa.amu.edu.pl
(In the email addresses above, replace "<at>" with "@".)
Please follow the general submission guidelines but send your abstract directly to the session organisers.