[Commlist] (Re)Contextualising the Discursive Construction of Europe (Conference)

Conference

Nicosia, Cyprus

Date: 25/11/2021 - 26/11/2021
Registration deadline: 15/09/2021
Call for papers ending on: 15/05/2021

After four successful international conferences (Besançon 2013, Brussels
2015, Torino 2017 and Bucharest 2019) the Observatory of Discourses on/of
Europe launches its 5th Call for papers. This year, the conference aims at
exploring the linkage between the discursive constructions of Europe and
their contexts of production/reception. The main objective is to create an
international and interdisciplinary space for discussion on the ways in 
which
the connection between discourses on/of Europe and elements of their
context(s) can be theoretically approached and empirically observed.

Discourse & Context

The theoretical question on the relation between text and context dates back
to the early decades of the 20th century and the distinction
between Langue and Parole proposed by De Saussure (1916). The various
approaches that have been developed ever since, bring out three main 
features
of discursive contexts (Flowerdew 2014): (a) contexts are dynamic since the
relation between discourse and context is interactive. While the production
of discourse is constrained by elements of the context, any utterance
produced within a context, in its turn, transforms and renews the context
(Fairclough 1992); (b) contexts are subjective, since participants in a 
given
context may interpret their situation differently (Van Dijk 2006); (c)
contexts are multilevel, acting at micro, meso and macro levels, thus the
context needs to be explored within and between discourses, in the situation
of production and reception of discourse, as well as in the broader societal
structures (Wodak 1996). In this perspective, the recontextualisation of
discourse (Bernstein 1996), as constitutive of social action in various
policy areas within Europeanisation and globalisation processes, is fruitful
in a discourse-analytical approach (Chouliaraki and Fairclough 1999; Reisigl
and Wodak 2009; Wodak and Fairclough 2010; Krzyżanowski 2016).

Discourses, Contexts and Europe

The Discourse Analysis of texts and talks related to Europe is yet to be
developed in a systematic way. However, most current studies seem to be in
accordance with the diversity and the dynamic of the discursive 
constructions
of Europe. They are constantly being reproduced and recontextualised in
relation to the socio-political and cultural context, as well as to economic
transformations within States, the EU and the world (Gobin 2013;
Krzyżanowski 2010; Trimithiotis 2016). Beyond the consideration of
methodological issues, the conference wishes to open the discussion on the
current expressions of relations between discourses on Europe and 
context(s),
on their stability and/or transformation in time and space. In recent years,
the European Union and European countries have been facing major challenges
that are contextually defined, often taking different forms depending on
countries, sectors, fields, technologies, media types, audiences and
discourse genres. For instance, the rise of populism, conspiracy 
theories and
hate speech, but also of solidarity, linked in particular to the refugee
issue, youth unemployment and the general impact of the economic crisis,
doubled by the Covid-19 health crisis are only some of those challenges
Europe encounters today. How do these events impact the discourses 
related to
Europe? Are there any new relations being established between discursive
constructions of Europe and their context(s)? Do these events allow or even
reinforce the pursuit of common horizons? Do they open up avenues for
contestation, resistance, fragmentation and/or the emergence of 
alternatives?
How are such discursive events recontextualized when viewed from the
perspective of European overseas territories and postcolonial spaces? What
are the means by which these relations between discourse and context(s) are
constructed in the current configuration of Europe?

The Focus

The conference provides a space for critical discussion on these yet-to-be
thoroughly investigated aspects of the discursive construction of 
Europe. The
conference invites contributions from different fields of research on the
discursive dimension of Europe, such as studies on media content/production,
political and electoral communication, social and economic policy, culture,
educational processes, conflict (trans)formations, institutional and public
action, among others. The proposals may be based on theoretical discussions,
empirical studies, comparative accounts and interdisciplinary perspectives
that contribute to developing analytical approaches and methods for
understanding the relation between discourse and context.

While remaining open to the diversity of proposals that seek to 
contribute to
the contextual analysis of discourses on Europe, we encourage the submission
of contributions related to the following contexts:

A. Macro context: What are the main similarities/differences between
discourses on Europe in different societal contexts? How do social,
political, economic, cultural, technological characteristics influence the
discursive construction of Europe? How can discourses on/of Europe impact
these contexts?

B. Meso context: How does the process of production/reception affect the
discourse on/of Europe? What is the impact of institutional and
organisational features? How is the discursive construction of Europe 
related
to the specificities of professional sectors, working conditions, gender
relations, media type, etc.?

C. Co-text: Does the type/genre of discourse have any impact on the
discursive construction of Europe? How do discourses on Europe vary 
depending
on whether they are descriptive, analytical, critical, humoristic, etc.?

D. Multi-level: Comparative perspectives of Discourse Analysis considering,
empirically or theoretically, more than one context are especially welcome.
How can recontextualisation at national, institutional or local level 
explain
distinct and different responses to common problems? What are the relations
between context, discourse and process affecting the discursive production?
What methods/indicators can be associated to the study of 
recontextualisation
of discourse?

Keynote speaker

Prof. Michal KRZYZANOWSKI [1] (Uppsala University)

Practical information for participants

Proposals, of up to 350 words, should include the title of the paper, the
author's name, academic affiliation, email address for correspondence, as
well as an abstract explaining the relevance of the proposed topic to the
conference themes, the methodological approach used, and the
primary/preliminary results.

Proposals will be submitted to a double-blind review by the members of the
scientific committee. The deadline for submission of proposals by email to
(discours /at/ ucy.ac.cy) is the 15th of May 2021.

The conference is scheduled to take place in strict compliance with COVID-19
protocols. In case it must be switched to remote mode, a relevant
announcement will be made the soonest.

Working languages

English and French

Conference fees:

Senior researchers € 100

Junior researchers and PhD candidates € 50

The above fees cover basic conference expenses. Travelling and accommodation
expenses are not included in the conference fees. Further information about
payment instructions will be announced later.

Scientific committee

Julien AUBOUSSIER (Université Lumière Lyon 2)

Fabienne BAIDER (University of Cyprus)

Antonis ELLINAS (University of Cyprus)

Giorgos CHARALAMBOUS (University of Nicosia)

Juliette CHARBONNEAUX (Sorbonne Université)

Miranda CHRISTOU (University of Cyprus)

Costas M. CONSTANTINOU (University of Cyprus)

Corinne GOBIN (Université Libre de Bruxelles)

Elena IOANNIDOU (University of Cyprus)

Nayia KAMENOU (University of Cyprus)

Dimitra MILIONI (Cyprus University of Technology)

Coco NOREN (Uppsala University)

Claire OGER (Université Paris-Est Créteil)

Venetia PAPA (University of Cyprus)

Valentina PRICOPIE (Romanian Academy)

Rachele RAUS (Université de Turin)

Luminița ROȘCA (Université de Bucarest)

Sophia STAVROU (University of Cyprus)

Nicos TRIMIKLINIOTIS (University of Nicosia)

Dimitris TRIMITHIOTIS (University of Cyprus)

Ruth WODAK (Lancaster University)

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