Author: Center for Intercultural Dialogue

Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz, the Director of the Center for Intercultural Dialogue, manages this website.

PhD Studentship: UNAOC/Centre for Trust, Peace & Social Relations (UK)

PhD Studentship: United Nations Alliance of Civilisations/Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations
Coventry University – Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR)
Closes: 20th January 2017

As part of a continuing programme of expansion of research activity in the role that intercultural relations and dialogue plays in forging (or inhibiting) social solidarity, trust and peaceful relations in diverse and changing societies, Coventry University is offering two full-time PhD studentship to well-qualified individuals, to start in May 2017.

Coventry University is offering this studentship as part of our partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations www.unaoc.org. The UNAOC promotes intercultural and interfaith dialogue amongst nations and builds bridges and understanding between different cultures and people. It promotes the development of more inclusive societies, in which diversity is experienced as an asset. Proposals are invited for a PhD research project exploring an area consistent with and developmental from the UNAOC Vision and Mission Statements.

Vision Statement: Guided by the principles of the UN Charter, the report of its High-Level Group, and the priorities of the Secretary-General, the UN Alliance of Civilizations works toward a more peaceful, more socially inclusive world, by building mutual respect among peoples of different cultural and religious identities, and highlighting the will of the world’s majority to reject extremism and embrace diversity. UNAOC will seek to operate in situations where is can contribute to broader efforts to ameliorate identity based crises and promote culturally sensitive development policies.

Mission Statement: The High-level group described UNAOC as an entity that would assist in diminishing hostility and promoting harmony among the nations. The UN Secretary-General has described it as a soft power tool for bridging divides and promoting understanding between countries or identity groups, all with a view toward preventing conflict and promoting social cohesion. UNAOC pursues its objectives through a variety of activities:
• Contacts and dialogues with stakeholders (governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental)
• Development of targeted projects
• Advocacy, including direct public statements or appearances by the High Representative or UNAOC staff
• Interventions to defuse religious and cultural tensions by mobilizing third parties that can act as forces of moderation and understanding such as religious leaders, grassroots organizations, youth leaders and women leaders.

We welcome applications with proposals for a PhD research project that will provide new insights about the impact of UNAOC’s work. This includes the work with youth, media, non-state actors and in migration. We welcome proposals that are interdisciplinary and use innovative and participatory research methods. We are looking for proposals that challenge existing ideas and expand current thinking, offering original insights and approaches by undertaking significant and rigorous research and contribute to change within UNAOC and the context within which the research is based. It is standard practice for supervision teams to consist of three staff members. For further information about potential supervisors interests and expertise, visit the CTPSR.

The PhD studentship will be based within an appropriate Research Group in the Centre, and the PhD student will be expected to work 6 hours per week as a research assistant as and when the opportunity arises.

The full-time PhD studentships will cover UK/EU or overseas tuition fee equivalent, and an annual stipend for the duration of the studentship.

About the host Centre/Department: The Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations has over 60 full-time research staff supported by a team of professional support staff. We take a multi-disciplinary approach to our work that brings together creative thinking on concerns of trust, peacebuilding, peace and reconciliation and on the contemporary challenges of societal relationships in a diverse and connected world.  Our portfolio of excellent and impactful research seeks to change lives and enhance well-being. We convene and contribute to public debates, provide effective policy guidance at local, national, regional and global levels and generate international collaborative research through our global networks.

CTPSR’s Doctoral Programme: Our Doctoral Training Centre develops independent, trained, highly-employable researchers with knowledge, expertise and skills in strategically-important research areas with real-world impact within a large, vibrant and international postgraduate community.

Candidate specification

Entry criteria for applicants to PHD (standard)
• a taught Masters degree in a relevant discipline, involving a dissertation of standard length written in English in the relevant subject area with a minimum of a merit profile: 60% overall module average and a minimum of a 60% dissertation mark
• the potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a three-year period of study.
• a minimum of English language proficiency (IELTS overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component)
In all cases the most recent and highest qualification attained will be that utilised for assessment purposes

Additional items for candidate specification
• a first or good upper second class undergraduate degree in a related social science or in the humanities and a strong interest in pursuing research in this field
• skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods

How to apply: Application form, full supporting documentation, and covering letter, plus a 2000-word proposal addressing the research theme

Duration of study: Full-Time – 3 years 6 months

Interview dates: 06 February 2017

PhD Studentship on Reframing in Mediation (Switzerland)

The Institute of Argumentation, Linguistics and Semiotics (IALS) of USI Università della Svizzera italiana invites applications for a PhD position (100%, 3 years). The PhD candidate will develop his or her dissertation within the project: “The inferential dynamics of reframing within dispute mediators’ argumentation”, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. This dissertation will be supervised by Prof. Sara Greco.

The research project
The selected candidate will develop his or her dissertation in the framework of a research project directed by Prof. Sara Greco; this project proposes a novel interpretation of reframing as an argumentative competence of dispute mediators. The PhD candidate will be equally expected to substantially contribute to activities related to this research project, both at the scientific and at the organizational level. The project “The inferential dynamics of reframing within dispute mediators’ argumentation” is part of a broader stream of research concerning argumentation in dispute mediation that is carried out at the IALS. Within this project, regular interaction with professional mediators in Switzerland will be required.

Place of work
Lugano. Availability to travel to other parts of Switzerland and abroad (for purposes of collaboration and research) is required.

The IALS institute represents a lively research environment for a PhD student who specializes in argumentation. Interaction with several researchers specializing on argumentation in different contexts, as well as interdisciplinary interactions with colleagues inside and outside the Faculty is an asset for a PhD candidate who wants to work on argumentation in a specific communication field such as conflict resolution. The candidate will also take part in the activities of the Laboratory for the study of Argumentation in the Contexts of the Public Sphere (LACoPS).

Requirements
• A Master (or equivalent title) in argumentation, communication, language sciences, social sciences, psychology, conflict studies, or related disciplines.
• High personal interest in the analysis of discourse and argumentation. Proven attitude for a fine-grained analysis of communicative interaction. Inclination towards the study of argumentation, discourse analysis, and the linguistic specificities of the discourse of conflict resolution.
• Interest for dispute mediation and other conflict resolution practices; nuanced understanding of the human and social value of conflict resolution.
• Fluency in English is necessary. Fluency in French is also strictly required, as the PhD candidate will conduct his or her research in collaboration with a board of experts, including academics and mediators, who are largely based in the French part of Switzerland. Knowledge of Italian will be considered an added value; in any case, it is expected that the selected candidate will learn to communicate in Italian during the PhD.
• Motivation to engage in the elaboration of a PhD dissertation. Ability to work in team and autonomy in scheduling research steps. Interest for teaching and availability to collaborate with colleagues (engage in scientific dialogue, listen and think critically) are required. The ability to establish good working relations with professional mediators will be considered an important asset.

Job description
The PhD candidate will participate in all phases of the research project. He or she will have the task of setting up a collection of data for his or her dissertation, while at the same time pursuing the goals of the project. Data collection will require interaction with professional mediators in Switzerland.

The PhD candidate will write a dissertation related to the research topic of the project. He or she will collaborate in the organization of scientific and dissemination activities related to the project. It is expected that he or she will regularly collaborate with researchers at the IALS as well as other scholars who are in the scientific board of the project.

The PhD candidate is also asked to present papers at scientific conferences, and produce publications for scientific journals.

Contract terms
The project is financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the PhD student will be receiving a salary according to the SNF policies.

Starting date
1st March 2017 (at the earliest). However, the position will be kept open until a suitable candidate has been found.

Application
Applications must include: a motivation letter, a complete CV, copies of university titles, an electronic version of a research work (Master thesis or other scientific publication). The latter must be accompanied by a short summary in English (1 page maximum). A support letter written by the Master thesis supervisor (or another Professor who knows the candidate well) is equally welcome.

Applications must be sent to Prof. Sara Greco in electronic format (sara.greco AT usi.ch). For any further information about this position, please contact her.

Deadline for applications
The deadline for applications is February 10, 2017; but applications will be received until the position is filled.

U York Job Ads: Linguistics (UK)

Lectureships in English Language and Linguistics
University of York – Heslington Campus
Closing date: 6 February 2017.

The Department of Language and Linguistic Science is seeking to appoint two Lecturers to contribute to research and teaching in the field of English Language and Linguistics from 1 September 2017 or as soon as possible thereafter. The posts are full-time.

You are early to mid-career linguists who are establishing, or have established, a track record of high quality research and who are also committed to excellence in teaching and supervision. You will play a full part in the research, teaching, supervision and administration of the Department, with particular responsibility for teaching and supervising in our English language and linguistics programmes. We particularly welcome applications from scholars whose research and teaching interests include one or more of the following: corpus linguistics, history of English, interactionist approaches to English, language variation and change, sociolinguistics, varieties of English.

You should be sure that you meet the Essential Criteria in the Person Specification section of the further information associated with the posts before starting an application. Informal enquiries may be made to the Head of Department (Professor Dunstan Brown) by e-mail (dunstan.brown AT york.ac.uk). For further information and to apply on-line, please visit this website.

CFP Visualizing (in) the New Media (Switzerland)

Call for Papers: Visualizing (in) the New Media

In November 2017, the Universities of Neuchâtel, Zurich and Bern in Switzerland will host the first international conference to focus specifically on visual communication in/about new media. In this regard, we invite the submission of abstracts for scholarly presentations in any of four overlapping thematic areas.

  1. Social interaction

Here, we envisage presentations that focus on the communicative uses of visual resources in the context of new media; for example: orthography and typography, graphematic design, the use of emojis (pictograms, emoticons, smilies), and/or the social-interactional uses of video, GIFs and non-moving images.

  1. Meta-discourse

Here, we envisage presentations that focus on people’s talk or writing about visual practices; for example: journalistic commentary about visual practices in new media (the use of emojis, for instance) or communicators’ discussions about their own or others’ visual practices in new media spaces.

  1. Visual ideologies

Here, we envisage presentations that focus on the visual depiction of new media in, for example, the context of commercial advertising, print or broadcast news, cinema and television narratives and/or public policy and educational settings.

  1. Industrial design

Here, we envisage presentations that focus on perspectives related to, for example, the visual-material design of technologies and apps, as well as the look or layout of screen interfaces, especially insofar as they concern the communicative (as opposed to technical) affordances of new media.

In selecting presentations, the conference team will privilege those adopting a multimodal approach to visual communication; in other words, studies that focus on visuality but attend to its interaction with other communicative modes – especially linguistic ones. We take a broad and critical approach to labels like “new”, “digital” and “mobile” as they are applied to communication technologies; we are nonetheless principally interested in more current, social, interactive media spaces such as micro-blogging, messaging, forums, gaming, video- and photo-sharing, and social networking.

The principal language of the conference will be English; however, the conference team welcome presentations and posters presented in German, French, and Italian (ideally, with slides or handouts offered in English). In such an interdisciplinary field, we also invite presenters to use their preferred style of delivery, whether it’s a read paper, an unscripted slideshow or some combination of the two.

Titles, abstracts and basic biographical information should be submitted using our online submission system available here: https://www.conftool.net/vinm2017/ . Abstracts should be between 300 and 500 words and written in the same language as the presentation or poster. If the abstract is in a language other than English, please provide a list of five keywords in English. We ask that you also indicate which of our four thematic areas (above) your paper addresses as well as if it is a presentation or a poster. The deadline for proposals is February 28th 2017 with an anticipated decision date of April 30th 2017.

 

Key Concept #7: Intergroup Relations (IGR) Dialogue Translated into Persian

Key Concepts in ICDContinuing translations of Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, today I am posting KC7: Intergroup Relations (IGR) Dialogue, which Sherry Perlmutter Bowen wrote in English in 2014, and which Ramin Hajianfard has now translated into Persian.

As always, all Key Concepts are available as free PDFs; just click on the thumbnail to download. Lists of Key Concepts organized chronologically by publication date and number, alphabetically by concept, and by languages into which they have been translated, are available, as is a page of acknowledgments with the names of all authors, translators, and reviewers.

KC7 IGR Dialogue in PersianBowen, S. P. (2017). Intergroup relations (IGR) dialogue [Persian]. (R. Hajianfard, Trans). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 7. Available from: https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/kc7-igr_persian-revised.pdf

If you are interested in translating one of the Key Concepts, please contact me for approval first because dozens are currently in process. As always, if there is a concept you think should be written up as one of the Key Concepts, whether in English or any other language, propose it. If you are new to CID, please provide a brief resume. This opportunity is open to masters students and above, on the assumption that some familiarity with academic conventions generally, and discussion of intercultural dialogue specifically, are useful.

Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz, Director
Center for Intercultural Dialogue

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Beall’s List of Predatory Publishers 2017

Jeffrey Beall, a librarian at the University of Colorado, Denver, maintains a list of potential, possible, or probable predatory scholarly open-access publishers. This is particularly important for new scholars who are not yet familiar with all the journals in their area and could inadvertently get caught in the net. He also maintains a list of journals publishing misleading metrics, naming companies that “calculate” and publish counterfeit impact factors (or some similar measure) to publishers, metrics the publishers then use in their websites and spam email to trick scholars into thinking their journals have legitimate impact factors. Finally, he is now maintaining a list of hijacked journals, those for which someone has created a counterfeit website, stealing the journal’s identity and soliciting articles submissions using the author-pays model (gold open-access).

UPDATE:
As explained by Inside Higher Ed, Beall’s List was shut down as of January 15, 2017, after this post was created, reportedly in response to “threats and politics.” However, a cached version of predatory publishers is still available, as are a cached version of the standalone journals, and a cached version of the hijacked journals.

CFP IAICS: Languages and Cultures in a Globalizing World (Macau)

The 23rd International Conference of the International Association for Intercultural Communication Studies (IAICS) Call for Papers
June 6-8, 2017
Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao
Conference Theme: “Languages and Cultures in a Globalizing World: Diversity, Interculturality, Hybridity”

In today’s world, globalization erases boundaries and leads to increased contact among various languages and cultures. While human contact and migration have always been present throughout history, e.g., on the Silk Road, today’s media and transport capacities facilitate contact and communication to an exponentially greater extent than ever before. As a consequence, the phenomena of diversity, interculturality and hybridity are intensified. Juxtaposed to increased contact ensuing from globalization are both the positive and negative aspects of the protectionist efforts of localism. The theme of this conference seeks to examine the context of these problems within the spheres of education, language, culture, and society.

Conference Goals:
* To provide scholars, educators and practitioners from different cultural communities with opportunities to interact, network and benefit from each other’s research and expertise related to intercultural communication issues;
* To synthesize research perspectives and foster interdisciplinary scholarly dialogues for developing integrated approaches to complex problems of communication across cultures;
* To advance the methodology for intercultural communication research and disseminate practical findings to facilitate understanding across cultures;
* To foster global intercultural sensitivity and involve educators, business professionals, students and other stakeholders worldwide in the discourse about diversity and transcultural communication issues.

Topic areas are broadly defined as, but not limited to, the following:
Cosmopolitanism in culture
Intercultural communication and cosmopolitanism
Cosmopolitanism in literature
Time and space in culture/literature
Language and culture
Intercultural communication and nationality
Language and identity
Comparative culture
Cultural identity
Cultural hybridity
Interculturality in literature
Intercultural communication and interculturality
Diversity studies
Language teaching as intercultural communication
Media and interculture Internet intercultural communication
Multi cultures and interculturality
Intercultural communication competence
Culture and travel writing
Intercultural education
Cross-cultural encounters
Interculture and human resource management
Comparative poetics
Interculture and public policy
Comparative literature
Transnational enterprises and intercultural communication
Imagology
Cultural study theories
Literature and religion
Culture and diplomacy
Literature and film
Language planning and policy
Translation studies
Intercultural pragmatics

Guidelines for Submissions
* Abstract, 100-150 words in English, including positions, affiliations, email addresses and mailing addresses for all authors. Times New Roman 12 pt font size, single spaced.
* Panel proposals reflecting the conference theme may be submitted. Panel proposals should include a 100-150 word abstract of each panelist’s paper (as above) and panelists must each individually complete the registration process (as below).
* The submissions will be evaluated by peer-review. There is a cap of 300 participants in the joint conference (see “Joint Conference” and registration information below).

Deadline: Please submit abstracts and panel proposals by 28th February, 2017.

Conference Working Language: English

Joint Conference: The 23rd IAICS Conference is held in conjunction with the 6th International Conference on English, Discourse, and Intercultural Communication (EDIC), Part I (Macao), June 6th-8th, 2017, followed by 6th EDIC Part II (Xinjiang), June 9th-11th, 2017. For information on EDIC Part II (Xinjiang), please contact the Xinjiang conference organizers.

Submission to: For correct registration, please follow this two-step procedure:
(1) Register and submit abstract online at http://edic.ipm.edu.mo, then
(2) Forward the computer-generated email you receive from the online registration with your registration number to ics@stu.edu.cn

Registration Fee: Waived. However, participants should arrange their own accommodation.

Online Information: http://www.uri.edu/iaics/ ; http://edic.ipm.edu.mo/

Sample Abstract
The Development and Validation of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale
Guo-Ming CHEN, Ph.D.
Department of Communication Studies
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI 02881, USA
Email: gmchen@uri.edu

The present study developed and assessed reliability and validity of a new instrument, the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS). Based on a review of the literature, 44 items thought to be important for intercultural sensitivity were generated for the purpose of analyses in this study. A sample of 414 college students rated these items and generated a 24-item final version of the instrument which contains five factors. An assessment of concurrent validity from 162 participants indicated that the ISS was significantly correlated with other related scales, including interaction attentiveness, impression rewarding, self-esteem, self-monitoring, and perspective taking. In addition, the predicted validity test from 174 participants showed that individuals with high ISS scores also scored high in intercultural effectiveness and intercultural communication attitude scales.

KC80: Cultural Discourse Analysis by Sunny Lie

Key Concepts in ICDThe next issue of Key Concepts in intercultural Dialogue is now available. The goal is to expand the concepts available to discussions of intercultural dialogue. Click on the thumbnail to download the PDF. Lists organized chronologically by publication date and number, alphabetically by concept in English, and by languages into which they have been translated, are available, as is a page of acknowledgments with the names of all authors, translators, and reviewers.

kc80-cultural-daLie, S. (2017). Cultural discourse analysis. Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, 80. Available from:
https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/kc80-cultural-discourse-analysis2.pdf

The Center for Intercultural Dialogue publishes a series of short briefs describing Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue. Different people, working in different countries and disciplines, use different vocabulary to describe their interests, yet these terms overlap. Our goal is to provide some of the assumptions and history attached to each concept for those unfamiliar with it. As there are other concepts you would like to see included, send an email to the series editor, Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz. If there are concepts you would like to prepare, provide a brief explanation of why you think the concept is central to the study of intercultural dialogue, and why you are the obvious person to write up that concept.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

UNESCO Job Ads: Associate/Programme Specialists (France)

UNESCO PROGRAMME SPECIALIST, Social and Human Sciences – Social Transformations
Primary Location: FR-Paris
Deadline: January 12, 2017

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General, Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS), the guidance of the Director of Division for Social Transformations  and Intercultural Dialogue (DIR/SHS/TCD) and under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Intercultural Dialogue Section, the incumbent is responsible for ensuring the development and delivery of a variety of sectoral and cross-sectoral projects and initiatives related to Intercultural Dialogue and a Culture of Peace. He/she will implement, monitor and report on programme priorities and projects in close cooperation with relevant Field Offices.

Within this context, the incumbent will:
• Contribute to the development of Action Plans for the promotion of intercultural dialogue in the context of the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022) : provide substantial input and advice to a broad range of stakeholders at different levels (Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and relevant networks/institutions), and backstopping to colleagues at Headquarters and in Field Offices.
• Implement, monitor, evaluate and report on programmes and projects and elaborate new and innovative initiatives and strategies for the promotion of intercultural dialogue and the culture of peace, notably in the areas of research, learning and capacity-building.
• Prepare statutory documents and draft decisions on key priorities identified by the governing bodies, as well as briefings, concept notes, press releases, etc; participate in the preparation of the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue and a Culture of Peace, and propose relevant themes for inclusion in UNESCO’s Mid-Term Strategy (C/4) and Quadrennial Programme and Budget (C/5).
• Organize international meetings and global fora with partners and stakeholders at different levels, including through the preparation of programme agendas, high-level statements and declarations, outreach strategies, advocacy and visibility measures, and follow-up on productions and publications;
• Undertake the identification/development of partnerships, the mobilization of extra-budgetary funding and resources and the preparation/coordination of reports to donors.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
• Advanced university degree in the field of social and human sciences, humanities or in related areas. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
• A minimum of 4 years of relevant professional experience in the field of social and human sciences, humanities or in related areas, of which at least 2 years acquired at the international level.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing programmes/projects and demonstrated expertise in the field of Intercultural Dialogue and/or a Culture of Peace.
• Experience in the organization of international conferences, meetings and events.
Skills/Competencies
• Very good knowledge and understanding of UNESCO’s mandate in the field of Intercultural Dialogue, Culture of Peace, and the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022).
• Excellent organizational and project design skills.
• Excellent analytical skills with proven ability to undertake research, collect and synthesise information from various sources.
• Good knowledge in fund-raising and/or other resource mobilization mechanisms.
• Excellent (oral and written) communication skills, with proven ability to draft clearly and concisely.
• Capacity to establish and to maintain effective working relations and partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders (relevant institutions, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations) at all levels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to work effectively in a team and to maintain effective working relations within a multi-cultural environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under pressure and to meet tight deadlines.
• Good IT skills, including knowledge of standard office software.
• Excellent/very good knowledge of English or French and good knowledge of the other language.
• Work Experience: Relevant experience in the UN system or in other international development cooperation organization.

Skills/Competencies
• Knowledge of the work and general functioning of international organizations and/or the UN system, including the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Agenda.
Languages
• Knowledge of other United Nations languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

There is also a position for a UNESCO ASSOCIATE PROGRAMME SPECIALIST
in the same unit, Social and Human Sciences – Social Transformations.