February 21, 2023: On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, the Zoryan Institute is pleased to announce a Call for Papers for its upcoming special issue of Genocide Studies International, The Erasure and Revitalization of Indigenous Cultures and Languages.  “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein Language is a core component of human rights and is inextricably linked to culture and identity. It is critical in allowing communities to preserve and transmit their knowledge, values, unique modes of thinking, meaning and expression, history, traditions, and memory to subsequent generations in order to help construct their future (UNESCO, 2022). Despite the immense value of languages, UNESCO reports that the majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages are endangered, with an overwhelming majority of these being Indigenous languages (2022). This is not a natural phenomenon but rather is due to a number of processes some of which are informed by genocidal ideologies. Although cultural destruction is not included in the UN Genocide Convention, Raphael Lemkin argued that the attempt to annihilate a group’s culture must be considered “as important as the physical annihilation of its members” (Facing History and Ourselves, 2019, para. 3). The destruction of Indigenous languages, or linguicide, has had and continues to have catastrophic effects on Indigenous cultures, identities, knowledges, and the overall well-being of Indigenous peoples and communities. While there has been growing international commitment to raising awareness about and protecting Indigenous Languages in recent years, as demonstrated by the International Year of Indigenous Languages (2019), and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032), research and publication on this subject remains limited. With this in mind, Genocide Studies International (GSI), wishes to dedicate a special issue to the topic of Indigenous language erasure and revitalization with the objective of raising awareness around this issue from an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective. The editors seek submissions from scholars across disciplines that contextualize Indigenous language erasure as it relates to human rights, conflict, exploitation, colonialism, racism, bigotry, sexism, oppression, and globalization. Manuscripts that explore gaps, challenges, and opportunities for action in protecting and revitalizing Indigenous languages are also welcomed. This special issue aims to bring together a collection of papers that capture a broad cross-section of concepts, experiences, stories, and issues pertaining to the theme so as to inform policy, action, and best practices on Indigenous language protection and revitalization across scales, and geographical and disciplinary boundaries. FEATURED EDITORS Editor Dr. Adam Muller, Professor in the Department of English, Theatre, Film, and Media at the University of Manitoba Guest Editor Dr. Lorena Fontaine, Associate Professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies at the University of Winnipeg Paper submission deadlines (early submissions encouraged): September 1, 2023 Submissions can be made at https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/utp_gsi. Authors may wish to view Genocide Studies International’s submission guidelines. All other inquiries can be directed to Megan Reid at gsi@genocidestudies.org. Zoryan Institute, a non-profit organization, serves the cause of scholarship and public awareness relating to issues of universal human rights, genocide, and diaspora-homeland relations. This is done through the systematic continued efforts of scholars and specialists using comparative and multidisciplinary approach and in accordance with the highest academic standards. DONATE Copyright (C) 2022 The Zoryan Institute of Canada Inc., All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: The Zoryan Institute of Canada Inc. 255 Duncan Mill Rd. Suite 310 Toronto, ON M3B 3H9 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe |