Conference theme: “Navigating new realities in diaspora communities”

One notable achievement of the modern language documentation and conservation movement has been the (re)centering of community in language work. Rather than viewing language as an abstract system, documentary practice increasingly begins with the community, is guided by the community, and contributes to ongoing maintenance of language in the community. At the same time the nature of community is changing. Global forces of migration and urbanization have resulted in the displacement of language teachers and learners from their traditional communities, and in many cases these diaspora communities are now larger than the original communities from which they arose. And yet, whether intentionally or not, the practice of language documentation and conservation has largely ignored the diaspora in favor of more traditional undisplaced communities. 

At ICLDC 2025 we propose to initiate a dialogue which will turn the attention of documentary linguistics to the unique needs of diaspora language communities. The challenges are manifold. Teaching methods designed for small monolingual rural communities may not be effective in large multilingual urban settings. Documentation techniques may need to be adapted to deal with contact scenarios and language shift. Moreover, displacement may take many forms, so solutions must be tailored to the unique context in each community. But the challenges are nevertheless real and pressing. As the pressure of conflict and climate change increasingly threaten our world, the future of the world’s Indigenous languages may well hinge on the ability of our field to engage effectively in diaspora settings. 

Following a format introduced at the ICLDC 2017, we are including 90-minute blocks to be dedicated to two alternative conference activities: Workshops and Talk Story discussions. 

Talk Story Sessions 

Introduced at ICLDC 2017 in response to participant feedback, ICLDC 2025 will again feature “Talk Story” sessions. These discussions will be led by an expert discussant and limited to 20-30 attendees per session. Each Talk Story will be repeated three days during the conference, allowing ample opportunity for conference attendees to participate in the Talk Story Sessions of their choice. Talk Story sessions are meant to be fully interactive for participants, rather than a one-directional presentation of information. This format may be particularly appropriate for discussion of issues related to working with diaspora communities. 

Workshops

We also welcome proposals for Workshops on topics broadly relating to working with diaspora communities. Each 90-minute workshop will be held twice over the four days of the conference, allowing multiple opportunities for interested attendees to participate. Workshops will accommodate a larger number of participants and are intended to be more presentational and instructional in style than the Talk Story sessions. 

Travel Funding

We anticipate being able to offer travel assistance up to US$2500 for each selected Workshop and Talk Story Session. Funds will be provided as (partial) flight reimbursements, hotel nights, or per diem payments, to be determined by the ICLDC Executive Committee. In the event that a Workshop or Talk Story Session is jointly presented by more than one individual, the presenter team will inform the ICLDC Executive Committee how to divide the award across the presenters. 

How to prepare your abstract proposal

• Content: Abstracts should describe the content of the proposed Workshop or Talk Story, indicating how it relates to the conference theme. 
• Abstract Length: Please limit your proposal to 400 words, not including references. 
• Biography: Please provide a 100-word biography describing the qualifications of each presenter. 
• File Format: Upload your abstract as a PDF or MS Word file. 
• Language: Abstracts should be submitted in English, but presentations can be in any language. We particularly welcome presentations in languages of the region discussed. 
• Authors may submit no more than one individual and one co-authored proposal (including participation in a paper or poster proposal), or no more than two co-authored proposals. In no case may an author submit more than one individually-authored proposal.
• Proposals for Workshops and Talk Story Sessions are due by August 31, 2024, with notification of acceptance by September 15, 2024.

The call for general conference proposals (papers & posters) can be found here, with a deadline of September 30, 2024.

Timeline

• July 2, 2024: Call for Proposals announced
• August 31, 2024: Proposals for Workshops and Talk Story Sessions deadline
• September 20, 2024: Notification of acceptance to Workshops and Talk Story Sessions (updated)
• September 30, 2024: Proposal deadline for general sessions
• November 1, 2024: Notification of acceptance for general sessions
• November 1, 2024: Accepted Presenter Registration opens
• November 30, 2024: Accepted Presenter Registration deadline
• December 1, 2024: Registration opens to the general public and continues until full.
• March 6-9, 2025: 9th ICLDC

Questions?  Feel free to contact us at icldc@hawaii.edu