In the past decades, in linguistics, literary criticism, culture studies, and interdisciplinary fields that include sociology, psychology, and media studies, the proliferation of the term context as well as the related ones contextual, (de)contextualization, context-(in)dependent, etc. might be considered a sort of a "contextual turn," as opposed to various formalist paradigms that focus on autonomous phenomena. The notion of context, from its distant Latin etymology of weaving something together, and the traditional philological use to denote simply a text that surrounds or is directly connected with some other part referred to, in the work of Malinowski, Firth and Halliday was expanded to include not only the linguistic context, but more importantly, the situational and cultural ones as well. In the most recent, cognitivist models the notion of cognitive context includes also the background knowledge, assumptions and beliefs of the participants in the communicative event. All these can dynamically influence the formation and interpretation of utterances, texts and discourses.
Goodwin and Duranti in their still very influential volume Rethinking Context: Language as an Interactive Phenomenon (1992: 32) stated: ‘‘The notion of context stands at the cutting edge of much contemporary research into the relationship between language, culture and social organization’’. With this in mind, the aim of the conference Language, Literature, Context is to examine context as a dynamic and relational notion, from the perspective of literary theory and linguistics. We invite you to explore how language is formed, used and understood depending on various linguistic and non-linguistic contextual parameters, and how literary and non-literary texts can influence and be influenced by historical, cultural, and intellectual framework, temporal, spacial and social settings, discursive elements, interpersonal and cognitive factors.
Conference languages are English and Serbian, for 15-minute presentations followed by 5 minute discussion time.
If you would like to participate, please fill in the registration form attached to this Call and submit it no later than January 25th, 2019 to the following address:
The submitted abstracts will be reviewed and assessed according to their compatibility with the conference topic, academic merit, topic originality, approach and research. Notification of acceptance will be sent by the mid-February 2019. A selection of papers will be published after the conference in a peer-reviewed two-volume Conference Proceedings.
Conference fee is 60 Euros (also payable in dinars), covering organisational costs, conference folder, refreshments during coffee breaks, buffet lunch on 12th April, and snacks before the closing of the conference on 13th April, as well as the costs of conference proceedings publication.
Conference fee in dinars is payable to the Faculty of Philosophy Niš bank account 840- 1818666-89, reference number 74212125, the purpose of payment: conference fee for the conference “Language, Literature, Context”, and in euros to the Faculty of Philosophy Niš foreign account 500100-100146351 (SWIFT: NBSRRSBG, Iban: RS35908500100014635165) or in cash, immediately before the beginning of the conference, at the registration desk. The participants are required to keep the receipt of the conference fee payment and to have it on their persons in order to present it at registration.
Conference dinner party (10 Euros) on 12th April 2019 is optional. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Niš!
With best regards,
Language, Literature, Context Conference Organising Committee