Author: Center for Intercultural Dialogue

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

U Oklahoma: Intercultural Communication (USA)

“JobAssistant / Associate Professor of Intercultural Communication,  University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA. Deadline: 20 November 2023.

The Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma invites applications for a full-time tenure-track assistant professor or associate professor (with tenure) position in intercultural, interethnic, or intergroup communication. They seek an outstanding scholar who will contribute to the department’s national reputation in intercultural communication and who has methodological expertise in quantitative, qualitative, or mixed research methods. Intercultural communication is a historic department strength.

The successful candidate should be an active scholar, with a clearly defined program of research that can make significant theoretical contributions to the intercultural communication discipline and a strong record of or potential for publication in refereed journals. Furthermore, the scholar’s research should help enhance the department’s program and contribute to the broader strategic vision of the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences and The University of Oklahoma. Interdisciplinary interests that could lead to collaborations across other departments and centers at the University are desirable, particularly if such initiatives lead to external funding that can enhance the university’s national profile. Departments in which potential for collaboration may exist include the following: College of International Studies, Native American Studies, African and African American Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, or a discipline where the scholar applies their work. Furthermore, opportunities for collaboration beyond the Norman campus include the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and The University of Oklahoma at Tulsa.

CFP Children and Youth as ‘Sites of Resistance’ in Armed Conflict

“Publication

Call for submissions: Children and Youth as ‘Sites of Resistance’ in Armed Conflict, to be edited by Tamanna Shah and published by Emerald. Deadline: 15 November 2023, abstract only.

During the chaos and devastation of armed conflict, children and youth often emerge as powerful agents of change and resilience. “Children and Youth as ‘Sites of Resistance’ in Armed Conflict” is a compelling exploration of their profound roles as active participants, often functioning as sites of resistance within the complex dynamics of warfare. This title delves deep into the lived experiences of children and youth in conflict zones, shedding light on their diverse forms of resistance, agency, and resilience. It transcends conventional narratives that portray them solely as victims, offering a fresh perspective on their capacities to challenge and transform their circumstances. This title will be a compilation of articles providing insights into the global dimensions of children and youth in armed conflict, drawing from case studies and experiences across regions and contexts. It highlights the interconnectedness of youth-led resistance movements and their impact on global discourse and policy.

It is crucial to examine how children and youth are catalysts for peace and justice in conflict and post-conflict settings. The book examines their contributions to reconciliation, community rebuilding, and efforts to address the root causes of conflict. The aim is to include intersections of age, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic factors in the experiences of children and youth in conflict zones. Contributions from scholars at all career stages and from all parts of the globe are welcome.

CFP BAAL/CUP: Language and Onward Migration (2024)

ConferencesCall for proposals: British Association for Applied Linguistics/Cambridge University Press Seminar: Language and Onward Migration: Bridging Applied Linguistics with Migration Studies, University of Westminster, London, UK, 13-14 February 2024. Deadline extended to:  14 November 2023.

The seminar will explore how languages shape the migration trajectories and experiences of onward migrants (OMs), that is, people whose life courses involve staying in two or more destination countries for extended periods, and, conversely, the effects that onward migration has on OMs’ linguistic repertoires. The aim is to engage in an interdisciplinary conversation as scholars working in Applied Linguistics with academics working in Migration Studies to critically reflect on the affordances, limitations, and possibilities that can come from working together across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

The seminar will offer a much needed platform for scholars in applied linguistics and migration studies to develop their knowledge of and skills in two methodological approaches to the study of the language and (onward) migration nexus:

  • ethnographically-oriented approaches (Copland & Creese, 2015; Martin-Jones & Martin, 2017; Tusting, 2020), including the ‘researching multilingually’ approach (Holmes et al., 2013)
  • quantitative approaches with a focus on large-scale surveys and respondent-driven sampling (RDS), a method that utilises social networks to produce data for ‘hidden’ or ‘hard-to-reach’ populations such as OMs who are not captured by national statistical data and who may be of undocumented status (Tyldum & Johnston, 2014)

Digital Tools to Support Minoritised Languages (Austria but Online)

EventsHow to Use Digital Tools to Support Minoritised Languages, RISE UP, 6 Nov 2023 08:00 – 10:00 EST (based in Vienna, Austria but the workshop is online).

The first RISE UP Workshop on digital tools to support minoritised languages will take place online on November 6th, 2023. During the two-hour workshop, different actors working with digital tools for lesser used languages (Global Rising Voices, F´ora de Mapa, Anveatsã Armãneashti) will present their work, experiences and best practices. Afterwards, workshop sessions for different topics such as digital media for minoritised languages and digital language activism will take place in breakout rooms to foster discussions and an exchange of experiences. The workshop is free.

RISE UP (HORIZON EUROPE project on Revitalising Languages and Safeguarding Cultural Diversity) aims to empower endangered language communities by building connections between relevant actors, identifying good practices and developing methods through a multi-disciplinary approach. Furthermore, RISE UP will foster the self-confidence of these communities, including learners, new speakers, people who have not yet had the chance to learn their heritage language, supporters, and more. Through the collection and analysis of context information and policies for endangered languages in Europe, the creation of a tool set for communities, the connection of relevant actors and the involvement of young people, specifically, RISE UP aims to provide support and empowerment to endangered language communities in Europe.

Applied Theatre and Intercultural Dialogue

Intercultural Pedagogy

Leffler, E. (2022). Applied Theatre and Intercultural Dialogue: Playfully Approaching Difference Cham: Springer Nature.

This fascinating book brings together theatre and intercultural dialogue, an uncommon pairing. It may be just the thing you need for a course this year.

I argue that theatre—as a form of play—offers particular opportunities to enhance an intercultural dialogue: people of divergent cultural backgrounds can playfully reveal parts of themselves to one another, develop empathy, and move toward an enhanced under standing of the social-political contexts that have divided them. But the atre is no magic escape from centuries of oppression and isolation, and in some ways, the very playful elements of theatre that expand opportunities for intimacy and social critique also seem to obfuscate participants’ own embeddedness in inequitable power structures, impeding the possibility for reflective critique. In this study, I elucidate that paradox and interrogate how the limitations can be overcome. (p. 14)

Cruz & Miranda: Storytelling as Media Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue

Resources in ICD“ width=Cruz, M. T., & Miranda, M. (2022). Storytelling as media literacy and intercultural dialogue in post-colonial societies. Media and Communication, 10(4), 294-304.

Based on the experience of a citizenship project about the post-colonial condition and Afro-European interculturality, this essay reflects on digital storytelling, and co-creative practices as relevant literacy and education strategies for furthering interculturality in contemporary societies. The authors propose storytelling as a tool for intercultural dialogue, in the framework of media literacy.

…we need educational strategies and literacies that continue to provide the training of imagination required for intercultural dialogue in the information society (p. 302)

San Diego State U: Border Studies in Communication (USA)

“JobAssistant Professor of Border Studies in Communication,  San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA. Deadline: 20 November 2023.

The School of Communication at San Diego State University (SDSU) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Border Studies in Communication, at the level of assistant professor, to start August 2024. The successful candidate will teach across undergraduate and graduate curriculum courses that center border studies, including but not limited to intersections with media studies, health communication, rhetorical movements, intercultural communication, organizational communication, and/or gender and sexuality. The candidate will also have the opportunity to create and teach classes aligned with their particular research interests and methodologies, including upper division/graduate level classes. The successful candidate will also be able to teach other graduate-level courses as needed on a rotational basis. In alignment with the University’s teacher-scholar model, the new hire could also teach a dual-level elective fitting the candidate’s area(s) of research interest and his/her/their research program. The candidate is expected to pursue a scholarly research agenda examining the intersections of border studies and communication studies. All methodological approaches to research will be considered. The successful candidate will also be expected to provide service to the school, college and the university, to professional organizations, and to mentor and serve on master’s thesis and comprehensive examination committees.

UC Santa Barbara: Latina/o/x/e-Centered Communication (USA)

“JobAssistant Professor in Latina/o/x/e-Centered Communication Research, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA. Deadline: 6 November 2023.

The Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in the area of Latina/o/x/e-centered communication research. The Department seeks to hire a scholar who conducts theory-driven, culturally-informed, applied research on communication processes centering Latina/o/x/e communities. We desire candidates whose scholarship complements or extends at least one of the department’s three core areas in interpersonal and intergroup communication; media and digital communication; and organizational and group communication, as well as any of our cross-cutting emphases in health, community engagement, family, science, environmental, political, or global approaches to communication. We welcome a wide range of empirical approaches to research, including qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed methods. The ideal
candidate would further strengthen the department’s relationship with, for example, the Chicano Studies Institute, the Migration Initiative, the Center for Information Technology and Society, the Orfalea Center for Global & International Studies, or the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. The candidate would connect with UCSB’s vibrant group of scholars who are deeply committed to engaging in research, teaching, and service that uplifts Latina/o/x/e communities. As a Hispanic-Serving Institute with a large Latina/o/x/e undergraduate student population (~28%), candidates are expected to have expertise or demonstrated commitment to providing inclusive and equitable teaching and mentoring to students from Latina/o/x/e communities; knowing, understanding, and challenging the systemic barriers that Latina/o/x/e communities face in higher education and in the discipline; and engaging in service at
the department, university, and/or disciplinary levels that prioritizes Latina/o/x/e communities.

Using Manga to Encourage Intercultural Dialogue

Intercultural Pedagogy

Perry, M. S., Raihanah, M. M., & Mohd Lazim, Z. (2023). Intercultural dialogue in manga: Building friendships, sharing spaces and values. East Asian Journal of Popular Culture, 9(1), 65-82.

…manga can be a powerful cultural text for increasing intercultural understanding, breaking cultural stereotypes and potentially dispelling prejudices (p. 77)

Perry, Raihanah and Mohd Lazim investigate Japanese manga as a site for intercultural understanding and engagement. Their focus in this article is on “the Japanese manga Satoko and Nada Volume 1 by Yupechika, which narrates the friendship between Satoko, a young Japanese woman, and Nada, her Saudi Muslim roommate.” They analyze three themes: food, fashion, and faith. They see their reading as “a microcosm of the type of dialogue needed in the world today to overcome the acute racism and xenophobia” and conclude:

US-Japan Leadership Program 2024/25 (Japan/USA)

FellowshipsCall for applications: US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP), participants expected to be in Seattle, WA July 27 – Saturday, August 3, 2023 AND in the Japan in July 2025. Deadline: 8 January 2023.

USJLP is the flagship program of the United States-Japan Foundation. It launched in 2000 with the purpose of developing a network of communication, friendship and understanding among the next generation of leaders in each country.  With the goal of bridging the gap between East and West, the Program fosters a continuing dialogue among future leaders in a broad variety of professions. It starts this process by bringing some young leaders together from each country for two intensive weeklong conferences over two years, with discussions revolving around historical and current issues in bilateral relations, as well as issues reaching beyond our two countries. Through serious conversation as well as recreation and shared cultural activities it seeks to nurture lifelong friendships. The Program is designed to keep the leaders in touch with each other throughout their careers through a dedicated website and member directory, frequent reunions and newsletters, and online social networks.

All members hold US or Japanese citizenship, enter the Program between the ages of 28-44 and have demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. Membership requires a commitment to participate in two consecutive summer conferences as a Delegate (one in Japan, and one in the USA), and the intent to remain active in the Program as a Fellow (alumnus).