2016 Conference
Alterities
February 25-26, 2016
details Heading link
Alterities: Different Kinds of Difference
The relationship between self and other is often defined in terms of difference, be it socially constructed, linguistically marked, or biologically determined. Across time and space, constructions of social and linguistic identity and thus social difference have revolved around the axes of age, gender, race, ethnicity, language, class, and sexual orientation.
We invite papers that examine the social practices and processes that create forms of difference, the cultural attitudes that shape and are shaped by perceived differences, and the ways that real and imagined differences are expressed in words and images. Possible approaches to the theme of alterity include, but are not limited to: multiculturalism and multilingualism; pluralism, polyphony, and hybridity; conflict, protest, and opposition; sameness and imitation; lexical and grammatical categories; classification practices; vernacular languages and dialects; postcolonialism, queer theory, and feminist theory. In the spirit of alterity, we welcome your creative approaches to this year’s theme!