[ecrea] CFP 'Failing Identities: Resistance and Identification'

*Failing Identities: Identification and Resistance*

*International Conference (University of Liège, 20-21 September 2018)*

*EXTENDED DEADLINE*

This conference aims to scrutinize, clarify and elaborate upon the 
concept of identity, which ranks among the most (ab)used concepts in the 
humanities since the end of the 20th century.

The popularity of the concept is, first and foremost, to be situated in 
the aftermath of the linguistic turn, which led to identity being 
conceived of as the product of discursive interpellations. This 
theoretical reframing of the subject constitutes the theoretical basis 
of multiple strands of discourse theory and analysis, and of various 
types of (post)poststructuralist theory.

The pervasive presence of identity as an object of study is, however, 
and to an even greater degree, also explained by the postmodern critique 
of universality and the concomitant deconstruction of the universal 
subject as a fiction subservient to particular (masculine, white, 
western, heterosexual...) interests. It is precisely this critique that 
drives the various forms of progressive identity politics that are so 
conspicuously present today.

To put it simply and provocatively: where do we go from here? This 
fundamental question translates into a wide range of more specific 
questions, such as:

§Is what (post)structuralism calls the decentred subject a mere passive 
recipient of discursive interpellations, or does it resist and, if so, 
in which way(s)? How should this resistance be understood – as an 
inability or rather as a refusal to accept discursive interpellations? 
As a rearticulation and ‘slanting’ of a given discourse? As a form of 
more or less subtle and agile negotiation with hegemonic pressures? As 
the articulation of a counterhegemonic discourse?

§How paradoxical and/or ambivalent are identification processes? If a 
seemingly official and explicit refusal often hides a more fundamental 
implicit identification (‘I am no racist, but...’) and vice versa (‘We 
are determined to tackle tax evasion’), how do both levels interact with 
one another and what audiences are they intended for? How can 
identificatory acts and utterances be construed as positioning the 
subject within the conflictual and dialogic contexts from which they 
emerged?

§How easy is it to cancel or replace identifications? Have ‘postmodern 
subjects’ really become fluid and endlessly malleable in a ‘liquid 
modernity’ (Zygmunt Bauman), or are they tough, inert and persistent? Do 
they have ‘hard kernels’ and, if so, what would be the nature of these? 
How important is the impact of discursive sedimentation on individual 
subjects, cultures and societies? How do deliberate or involuntary 
cancellations of identifications affect the subject? Are they 
emancipatory or destructive – or both?

§Does the postmodern critique of the universal subject not in fact 
continue to refer to a universal horizon of equality and justice? Should 
this critique be maintained or should it give way to a dialectical 
vision of the opposition between the universal and the particular?

§Are ‘progressive identity politics’ more needed than ever or are they 
at risk of becoming essentialist and unbearably reductionist stances?

§Are ‘progressive identity politics’ genuinely progressive or do they 
allow the researchers involved to view themselves as ‘progressive’? What 
makes them superior to traditional, conservative identity politics? Do 
they hamper attempts to unite progressive groups and efforts, uniting 
only ‘deplorable’ antiliberal, reactionary forces, as is argued by such 
varied authors as Eric Hobsbawm, Terry Eagleton, Slavoj Žižek, Vivek 
Chibber and Mark Lilla?

§What are relevant methodological underpinnings of research on identity 
and identification? Which linguistic means can be observed to index 
identity (as one of their multiple functions), and how can we classify 
them meaningfully? For example, how can such phenomena as taboo 
expressions, metaphors, language varieties (e.g. sociolects and slang), 
language contact and learner languages enhance our understanding of 
identity and identification? What about language policy and (official 
and unofficial) puristic movements?

Proposals will be judged on their ability to address theoretical issues 
and methodological questions, or the latter’s application to concrete 
cases and corpora

Since the conference is interdisciplinary in nature, we welcome 
proposals from the fields of literary studies, linguistics, translation 
studies, cultural studies, communication studies, political studies, 
social sciences, philosophy and history.

*Abstracts (in English or French) should not exceed 300 words and be 
submitted along with a brief biobibliographical note (100 words max.) by 
1 April 2018 at the latest to the following address: **(letl /at/ uliege.be)**. 
Participants will be notified by 1 May 2018.*

Papers may be delivered in Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish, 
with discussions taking place in English and French.

*Keynote speakers:*Vivek Chibber (New York University), Philippe Hambye 
(UCLouvain) and Marc De Kesel (Radboud University Nijmegen)

*Organizing committee:*Kim Andringa, Lieselotte Brems, Louis Gerrekens, 
Maxim Proesmans, Laurent Rasier, Erik Spinoy, Kris Steyaert, An Van 
linden, Marie Viérin, Patricia Willson (ULiège)

**

*External members:*Ted Laros (Open Universiteit Nederland), Alejandrina 
Falcón (Université de Buenos Aires), Lieven Vandelanotte (UNamur)

*Scientific committee:*Ewa Bogdanowska-Jakubowska (University of Silesia 
in Katowice), Sigurd D’hondt (University of Jyväskylä), Philippe Hambye 
(UCLouvain), Joep Leerssen (University of Amsterdam), Dorien Van De 
Mieroop (KULeuven)

Please visit www.letl.uliege.be/cms/c_3141291/fr/letl-activitesfor 
up-to-date information and practical details.


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