Tag: sociolinguistics

Copenhagen Winter School in Sociolinguistics 2026 (Denmark)

Study Abroad

Copenhagen Winter School in Sociolinguistics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 9-13 March 2026. Deadline: 1 December 2025.

The LANCHART Centre and the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics at the University of Copenhagen once again invite applicants for a PhD winter school in sociolinguistics. The winter school will take place from the 9th to the 13th of March 2026 at the University of Copenhagen. The overall theme for the course is sociolinguistics understood broadly, and the participants will gain insights into different research fields within contemporary sociolinguistics. Focus is on newer developments and we will address themes and questions raised within the study of language, variation and indexicality as well as discourse oriented studies of language, diversity and social media. These issues will be discussed both from a theoretical and an empirical perspective.

Each day will consist of presentations of PhD projects from participants, discussions, and lectures from teachers. Invited guest teachers: Sinfree Makoni (Professor, Department of Applied Linguistics, Penn State University), Sari Pietikäinen (Professor, Department of Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä), Emma Moore, Professor( Department of English, University of Sheffield). Local teachers: Marie Maegaard (Professor, Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen), Lian Malai Madsen (Professor, Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen).

CFP A Sociolinguistics of Islam

“Publication

Call for papers: A Sociolinguistics of Islam: Exploring Multilingualism & Meaning in Faith, A Special Issue of the Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development. Deadline for extended abstract: 22 August 2025.

Special Issue Editors: Ibrar Bhatt (Queen’s University Belfast, UK); Othman Barnawi (Royal Commission for Yanbu Colleges and Institutes, Saudi Arabia); Rizwan Ahmad (Qatar University, Qatar)

Across the fields of sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, literacy studies, and linguistic anthropology, the role of religion has been present yet marginalised, and often subsumed under broader categories such as ‘identity’, ‘ideology’, or ‘cultural practice’. Despite this presence, scholarship within linguistic and cultural studies, broadly speaking, has not fully capitalised on the onto-epistemic
potential of how language and society intersect in contexts where the Islamic faith serves as a defining worldview. Engaging more deeply with such contexts offers valuable opportunities to advance research on religious multilingual and multicultural development, particularly when grounded in Islamic historicity, theology, and the distinctive features of Islamic knowledge traditions.

This special issue seeks to redress this imbalance by exploring a ‘sociolinguistics of Islam’, a conceptual and empirical orientation, as defined by Bhatt, Barnawi and Ahmad (2025), that foregrounds contexts of linguistic practice shaped by Islamic traditions, whether in Muslim-majority or Muslim-minority settings, as deserving of dedicated scholarly attention. The sociolinguistics of Islam refers to the exploration of how language and society intersect within contexts where the Islamic faith is a defining worldview shaping language, literacy, and other processes of semiosis. Building on foundational work in the ‘sociology of language and religion’ (e.g. Fishman 2006; Omoniyi 2010), and drawing inspiration from sociolinguistic analyses in religious communities (e.g. Spolsky 2014; Shandler 2006; Fishman et al. 1966), this special issue invites critical, theoretical, and empirical contributions that advance the study of language within Islamic sociolinguistic ecologies.

CFP 5th International Conference on the Sociolinguistics of Immigration (Italy)

Conferences

Call for papers: 5th International Conference on the Sociolinguistics of Immigration, 16-17 June 2025, Sestri Levante, Italy. Deadline: 31 January 2025.

This conference addresses the complexities of migration research amidst global challenges such as economic disparities, climate change, and displacement. The event aims to foster dialogue on reflexivity, ethics, and arts-based methodologies in migration studies. The language of the conference is English.

Participants will explore:

  • Representation and power dynamics.
  • Researchers’ responsibilities when working with vulnerable populations.
  • Innovative, interdisciplinary methods to amplify migrants’ voices.

Copenhagen Winter School in Sociolinguistics 2024 (Denmark)

Study Abroad

Copenhagen Winter School in Sociolinguistics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 11-15 March 2024. Deadline: 1 December 2023.

The LANCHART Centre and the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics at the University of Copenhagen once again invite applicants for a PhD winter school in sociolinguistics. The winter school will take place from 9:00 to 17:00 from the 11th to the 15th of March 2024 at the University of Copenhagen.

Invited guest teachers: David Britain (Universität Bern), Alexandra Georgakopoulou (King’s College London), David Karlander (Uppsala University and The Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study); Local teachers: Andreas Candefors Stæhr, Pia Quist, Janus Spindler Møller, and Malene Monka (University of Copenhagen).

The overall theme for the course is sociolinguistics understood broadly, and the participants will gain insights into different research fields within contemporary sociolinguistics. Focus is on newer developments, and instructors will address themes and questions raised within the study of language, variation and indexicality as well as discourse oriented studies of language, diversity and social media. These issues will be discussed both from a theoretical and an empirical perspective.

All participants should prepare a 20-minute presentation of their project with a special focus on themes that they would like to have discussed as part of the course. This could be for instance theoretical or methodological issues, or it could be ongoing analyses that would benefit from a discussion. The idea is for all participants to get an opportunity to have their projects discussed, and to get comments from both teachers and other participants.

U Glasgow: Sociolinguistics (UK)

“Job

Lecturer in Sociolinguistics, School of Critical Studies, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Deadline: 15 January 2023.

The School of Critical Studies seeks to appoint a Lecturer in Sociolinguistics based in the subject area of English Language & Linguistics, which provides world leading research in the analysis of speech and the use of digital technologies in linguistics. The postholder will contribute to, and expand on, the existing research strengths in the area of sociolinguistics, specialising in multilingualism, language attitudes, interactional sociolinguistics, amongst others. Applicants with experience in research with a qualitative orientation are particularly welcome. The successful candidate will have an excellent publication record and demonstrate the potential for attracting external grant funding. They will offer courses at UG and PG level, in addition to recruiting and supervising PhD students.

King’s College London: Sociolinguistics (UK)

“Job

Lecturer in Sociolinguistics, School of Education, Communication and Society, King’s College London, London, UK. Deadline: 22 June 2022.

The School of Education, Communication and Society is advertising a 12-month fixed-term lectureship in Sociolinguistics on King’s Academic Education Pathway (AEP). The School is looking for an individual who can make an exceptional contribution to the Centre for Language, Discourse and Communication (LDC). LDC is a major UK centre for Sociolinguistics, Discourse Studies and Applied Linguistics. The centre offers BA, Masters and Doctoral programmes.

Candidates will hold a PhD in Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Applied Linguistics, or a closely related area. They will be expected to contribute to UG and PGT teaching and supervision, primarily in the area of sociolinguistics. They will be contributing to the teaching on the MA Language and Cultural Diversity, including modules such as ‘Language and Power’ and ‘Linguistic Politeness’ as well as research methods. The role holder will have experience of teaching at PG and/or UG level in the area of Applied and Sociolinguistics, and they will have a passion for teaching and an interest in innovation in teaching and learning.

They particularly welcome candidates from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to reflect the community they serve.

Constance Mbassi Manga Profile

ProfilesConstance Mbassi Manga earned her Ph.D. from Lancaster University, UK, and wrote her thesis on Camfranglais in use by diasporic Cameroonians living in Western cities, from a sociolinguistic and ethnographic perspective.

Constance Mbassi Manga
Photo credit: Ewane Nja Kwa

A French native of Cameroonian origin, she was raised multilingual and has been working in the field of language for 30+ years, in various capacities (from working as a freelance translator and interpreter, then heading her own translation agency, and later as a Team Lead/an Account Director in Marketing Communications). Moreover, she spent her childhood in a highly multilingual country (Cameroon, where over 250 languages are spoken), speaking 4 languages (2 African languages, English, French) from birth, learning a 5th (German) from the age of 10. She has always been fascinated by language practices and by the unique and powerful link that people draw between the language(s) they speak and who they are.

In terms of academic study, she was introduced to the study of multilingualism and sociolinguistics during her Masters at Kings College London; her Masters thesis focused on ‘Language Practices of Francophone Cameroonians in London.’ Since that time, she has been interested in language practices of non-European background adults in diasporic contexts, and how these tie in with ideologies of language, home and ‘belonging’.

Selected Publications:

Mbassi Manga, C. (2025). Language, home and belonging in migratory contexts: The case of Camfranglais. London: Routledge. (To be published June 10th, 2025)

Mbassi Manga, C. (2019). A case study of Camfranglais in superdiverse contexts: France, the UK and the USA. In R. Siebetcheu & S. Machetti (Eds.), Le camfranglais dans le monde global Contextes migratoires et perspectives sociolinguistiques (175-191). Paris, France: L’Harmattan.

Work for CID:
Constance Mbassi Manga is the author of KC108: Superdiversity, has translated that into French, translated KC23: Afrocentricity into French, and also has served as a reviewer for French.

U Edinburgh: Sociolinguistics (UK)

“JobLecturer/Senior Lecturer in Sociolinguistics, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Deadline: May 31, 2021.

The University seeks to appoint an open-ended, full time Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Sociolinguistics, within the department of Linguistics and English Language, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences. The post holder will contribute high quality research, teaching and academic citizenship. Current strengths in the department related to sociolinguistics include sociophonetics, language variation and change, language and identity, language and politics, language attitudes, applied linguistics and English dialectology. The department is interested in building on its existing strengths and in expanding the range of research areas that are currently taught and researched. Applicants are encouraged to indicate in their covering letter how their research programme would add to these current areas of focus.

Experience in research with a qualitative orientation will be a plus. The successful candidate will be expected to have an excellent publication record for their career stage, and to demonstrate potential for attracting external grant funding: the potential to make a significant contribution to the research culture of the School is essential. The successful candidate will offer courses at both UG and MSc level and will be expected to supervise and recruit PhD students.

CFP e-Sociolinguistics Symposium (Hong Kong but online)

ConferencesCall for papers, e-Sociolinguistics Symposium 23: Unsettling Language, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 7–10 June 2021. Deadline for abstracts: 30 September, 2020.

The theme of the conference is Unsettling Language. The contemporary world is an unsettled place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous conflict zones, forced migration, economic imbalances and uncertainties, as well as ideological extremism resulting in (or caused by) unsettling language emanating from powerful people, political organizations, and the media. As a form of social action, this sort of language requires serious, critical consideration, assessment and counter-action. Furthermore, the notion of ‘language’ itself is undergoing a critical reassessment in how it is being theorized. Language is increasingly understood as more than ‘just’ a set of linguistic resources. Its embodied nature, the materiality of its modalities (speech, writing, sign, gesture, touch, silence), interaction with other modalities (sound, music, images, etc.), and with time and space, requires integration of broader contexts of analysis, multimodal data sets, and multidisciplinary approaches. We invite abstracts addressing the conference theme as well as other contributions focusing on current and innovative themes and theoretical challenges.

CFP Sociolinguistics Symposium (Hong Kong)

ConferencesCall for Papers: Sociolinguistics Symposium 23: Unsettling Language, University of Hong Kong, 16-19 June 2020. Deadline: 14 October 2019. NOTE Change in dates!

As a premier gathering of international sociolinguists, this biennial event has emerged as a unique and innovative forum to develop and exchange new ideas, broaden the scope of the discipline, and create new academic networks. From its beginnings as a small meeting of UK-based academics in 1976, Sociolinguistic Symposium has grown into the largest sociolinguistic conference in the world.

Its Hong Kong edition will mark the conference’s first appearance in Asia. The theme of the conference is Unsettling Language. The contemporary world is an unsettled place due to numerous conflict zones, forced migration, economic imbalances and uncertainties, as well as ideological extremism resulting in (or caused by) unsettling language emanating from powerful people, political organizations, and the media. As a form of social action, this sort of language requires serious, critical consideration, assessment and counter-action.

Furthermore, the notion of ‘language’ itself is undergoing a critical reassessment in how it is being theorized. Language is increasingly understood as more than ‘just’ a set of linguistic resources. Its embodied nature, the materiality of its modalities (speech and writing), interaction with other modalities (sound, music, images, etc.), and with time and space, requires integration of broader contexts of analysis, multimodal data sets, and multidisciplinary approaches. We invite abstracts addressing the conference theme as well as other contributions focusing on current and innovative themes and theoretical challenges.