------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 13:26:32 +0800 From: [log in to unmask] (Knowledge & Discourse Conference 1996) Subject: Latest Information on K & D conference 96 This is to announce our * Final Call for Papers and Colloquia * for our International, Multidisciplinary Conference : * KNOWLEDGE AND DISCOURSE * * Changing relationships across academic disciplines & professional practices * to be held at the University of Hong Kong : 18-21 June, 1996 * * * * * * * * * * NOTE: This is a full message, so we advise you to print it out, but please keep a copy for forwarding to interested colleagues. * * * * * * * * * * Deadline for Abstracts: 15th January 1996; flexible on overseas submissions. Abstracts accepted by E-Mail, fax & surface mail. Information on submissions, registration, etc. follows later. * * * * * * * * * * THERE IS A GROWING AWARENESS of the roles that language and culture play in the construction of the knowledges and beliefs that underpin our disciplinary and professional practices. This conference is an attempt to foster that growth, and from small beginnings we have already attracted submissions from over 30 countries, from Chile and Australia in the south to Canada, Finland, Russia and China in the north. The broad aims of this conference are to : * highlight the complex roles language and culture play in the construction of the knowledges and beliefs than underpin or dominate our disciplines and professions * critique disciplinary and professional knowledges and social and discourse practices from social, philosophical, historical and political perspectives * promote change in academic curricula by bringing different disciplines into dialogue with each other, & by encouraging them to re-consider their disciplinary identities * explore learning and knowledge-making resources beyond the walls of the academy, in the social and professional cultures of the communities that nurture those disciplines and institutions. *Issues, Questions and Perspectives* * Philosophical perspectives: exploring issues of power, authority and interested knowledge in academic disciplines. * Social perspectives: exploring issues of representation, imperialism and ideology in academic practices. * Historical perspectives: the development of particular academic disciplines and professional practices. * Linguistic perspectives: how language can be used to either support or impede interdisciplinary communication. * Changes in professional practices and how they affect tertiary and secondary curricula, and vice versa. * The effects of foreign language education on cultures and knowledge systems. * How are tertiary institutions responding to changes in society? * How do discourse practices influence knowledge? * To what extent are non-Western societies resisting Western academic and professional models or adapting them to their own cultural needs and settings? *INVITED SPEAKERS* *Steve Fuller* will give the keynote address. He is Professor of Sociology at Durham, founder-editor of the journal `Social Epistemology', and is one of the leading figures in the Sociology of Science. An example of his willingness to challenge orthodoxy is his recent book "Philosophy, rhetoric and the end of knowledge". *Kalpana Ram* works on the Gender Relations Project at ANU in Canberra, and is a prominent voice speaking out for the rights of women in the Asian sub-continent; see her recent book: "Mukkuvar women: gender, hegemony and capitalist transformation in a South Indian fishing community". *Michel Callon* is Director of the Centre de Sociologie de l'Innovation at the Ecole Sup. des Mines in Paris, and is perhaps best-known internationally for his seminal work on Actor Network Theory. See his book "Science and its networks", Paris: La Decouverte (in French), and many articles on the subject. *Gu Yue Guo* is Pro-President of the Beijing Foreign Studies University, and did his doctoral work in linguistics at the University of Lancaster. A noted comparative linguistic scholar, he will examine the discursive complexities and changes to be found in contemporary China, exploring the diverse cultural influences prompting those changes. *Allan Luke* is shortly taking up the Chair of Post Graduate Education at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. He is currently working on a number of critical literacy projects, and is chief editor of Falmer Press's acclaimed "Critical Literacy" series. *Ligia Parra-Esteban* is Director of the Foundation for the Investigation of Communication between Scientists in Bogota, Colombia; she will be discussing the role that established mechanisms of science communication play in the development of research in `peripheral science' countries. *Alastair Pennycook* of the Department of Applied Linguistics at the University of Melbourne is an increasingly prominent critic of psycholinguistic approaches to language study, and of the worldwide hegemony of the English language. His recent book "The cultural politics of English as an international language" won the British Association of Applied Linguists' 1995 book prize. LANGUAGE: Our invited speakers, then, cover a spectrum of nationalities, cultures, disciplines and language groups - Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, French and English. We are aware of the irony of having the last of these languages, English, as the language of expression at the conference; English has done most to promote particular (Western) versions of knowledge at the expense of local and regional knowledges and languages. We felt, though, that English was likely to ensure either the greatest level of mutual comprehension among participants or the most widely shared vehicle for debate. Accepting diversity of language of expression would have had to be without exception, and from experience we believe that would have tended to result in communication among, rather than between, participants from different language groups. COMMUNICATION: We are hoping that participants will bear in mind that multidisciplinary communication involves making concessions to the plurality and only partial overlap of the discourses participants will have access to. What participants WILL share - some of the perspectives described above - should ensure a degree of mutual understanding. What will enhance that understanding will be the grounding of our ideas, critiques and theories in examples and accounts drawn from our practices and our working contexts. *Participants* Teachers, researchers and professional practitioners engaged in inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary projects, investigating, inter alia : * the history, philosophy and sociology of particular disciplines. * the communication used between academics and professionals both across and within the boundaries of different disciplines. * pan-disciplinary issues, such as those of gender, race and ethnicity, class, and culture in academic disciplines and professional practices. *Types of Presentations* * Papers, workshops, poster sessions and colloquia. We welcome theoretical considerations, practical case studies and methodological contributions which either challenge or confirm current paradigms and practices through cross-disciplinary research projects, teaching projects, activities or experiments. THE ORGANISERS WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE ALL POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS of their belief in pluralism, diversity and change, in mutual tolerance, and in the equal rights of all peoples to pursue their own beliefs and ideas, so long as these are not inconsistent with a respect for those rights in others. Organized by : - The English Centre University of Hong Kong and The School of English Language Communication Beijing Foreign Studies University * * * * * * * * * * * * *ABSTRACTS* Please submit an abstract of about one page outlining the mode of presentation, title and content of your paper, and your name and most convenient form of address. *DEADLINES* Receipt of abstracts: 15th January 1996 Notification of acceptance: a.s.a.p. & before 15th February 1996 Receipt of full text: 30th April 1996 *Submit your abstract* either - * as hard copy by post to : Conference O96 Secretary English Centre University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road HONG KONG * or by e-mail to : [log in to unmask] * * * * * * * * * * * * *REGISTRATION FEES* Up to 31st March 1996 US$ 80 / HK$ 600 >From 1st April 1996 US$ 100 / HK$ 750 *A note about "How to Pay"* If paying from a bank account situated outside Hong Kong, please send a BANK cheque and not a personal cheque, in either US or HK dollars, made out to "The University of Hong Kong". Thanks! There is a Registration Form below * * * * * * * * * * *ACCOMMODATION* We recommend that you book accommodation as far in advance of arriving in Hong Kong as you can, especially if you would like to stay on H.K.U. Campus, at the Robert Black College. If Robert Black College becomes fully booked, we will make bookings at hotels off campus which can be offered to participants. * Accommodation on campus: A limited number of rooms with air-conditioning, private bath or shower, refrigerator and colour TV are available in Robert Black College; breakfast included; lunch and dinner can be provided. Daily room rates and the CollegeOs registration fee are as follows: Single occupancy: US$ 60.00 / HK$ 462.00 Double occupancy: US$ 75.00 / HK$ 561.00 College registration fee: US$ 6.50 / HK$ 50.00 per person PLEASE BOOK EARLY. Advance payment for the first nightOs accommodation is requested at the time of booking, and should you want to cancel, two monthOs written notice is required for refund of deposit. * Accommodation in town: Budget accommodation can be found in hostels from around US$35.00 (HK$250) per night. Moderate hotel prices in Hong Kong start from around US$100.00 (HK$800) for a standard room. *Hospitality* There will be a welcoming reception and, nearer the time, details will be circulated about informal evenings at a variety of restaurants around town to which delegates are invited on a cost share basis. ____________________________________________ * REGISTRATION FORM * : "KNOWLEDGE AND DISCOURSE" To register, please print out the following form (or write your own details in a similar format, if the form doesn't come out well) and return it, with your details and your cheque (payable to "The University of Hong Kong"), to us at : KandD 96, The English Centre, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, HONG KONG. Name : _ Do you plan to give a presentation? : YES / NO Which Type? (please circle) : Paper : Workshop : Colloquium : Poster Postal Address (and for conference programme) : _ _ _ _ Rapid Contact Address (e-mail, fax, etc.) _ Presentation Title _ _ _ Registration Fee = US$ / HK$ ........... Accommodation at Robert Black, on HKU campus Single / Double room for ____ nights = US$ / HK$ ........... plus College Reg. Fee = US$ / HK$ ........... I enclose a bank draft/bank cheque for = US$ / HK$ ........... ____________________________________________ Other details * * * * * * * * * * For latest information you can reach us at : * e-mail : [log in to unmask] * WWW : http://www.hku.hk/engctr/kandd.html * fax : (852) 2547 3409 * tel : (852) 2859 2004 * * * * * * * * * * Thank you for your time and for forwarding this message to interested colleagues. We hope to see you in Hong Kong next June. K and D Steering Committee The English Centre University of Hong Kong