Virginia Tech’s English Graduate Student Organization
Presents:
A Conference on Language/Knowledge/Power
Saturday, March 28th, 2015
Shanks Hall, Blacksburg, VA
The English Graduate Student Organization of Virginia Tech
welcomes papers and presentations related to this year’s conference theme:
Language/Knowledge/Power.
The relationship between language, knowledge, and power is
evident in a variety of contexts. For example, a dominant social group in a
community can perpetuate its power through language/discourse conventions.
Through such conventions, dominant groups can exercise control over knowledge,
making it difficult for other marginalized groups to acquire knowledge. Thus,
while language may seem neutral, it can actually function to reinforce social
hierarchies and inhibit knowledge acquisition. This power dynamic isn’t
restricted to one sphere; rather, it permeates throughout literature, theatre,
textbooks, media, technical documents, etc.
We invite scholarly and creative submissions that explore
the interplay of language, knowledge and/or power in society. Language
manifests in many different media, so projects may encompass verbal, literary,
visual, or multimodal subjects. Proposals may consider, but are not limited to,
the following questions:
1)
How does language resist or submit to structures of power?
2)
What relationships exist between knowledge and power?
3)
How do language and knowledge enable the performance of
power?
4)
How might classroom instructors consider literacies of power
in their instruction?
5)
What kinds of knowledges are built in everyday language
exchanges?
6)
How does the relationship between language, knowledge,
and/or power manifest itself in literature?
7)
How does the relationship between language, knowledge,
and/or power in literature address thoughts, anxieties, concerns, etc. of a
particular time period?
Proposals for individual papers should not exceed 250 words.
Multi-paper panel proposals are welcome and should include separate abstracts
for each individual paper. Please submit abstracts to vt.egso@gmail.com by
January 15th, 2015. Please include your name, institutional affiliation, field
of study, and any technology requests.
Those selected will be notified via e-mail by February 15,
2015.
