Dear Visitor | | IOW's NEWSLETTER #10
March 2025
Thank you for subscribing to IOW's Newsletter!
By subscribing to IOW’s Newsletter, you will be updated about the latest keywords uploaded, and provided news about the project in general and the activities of IOW's collective. The Newsletter will also disseminate Calls for conferences and publications connected to issue of Othering.
And you can become an active participant to IOW's dictionary, by proposing and discussing words that are used to (re)produce different forms of Otherness, and/or suggesting keywords that you would like to be discussed! You can visit regularly www.iowdictionary.org to find further info on keywords and on how to join the project. |
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Forthcoming entries
Some of these entries are coming soon! So, stay tuned ... and check IOW website in the following weeks!
- AI/Otherness: Andrea C. Valente asked ChatGPT to write an entry on Otherness complying with the different steps of IOW dictionary. The entry, generated by AI, then undergoes a process or revision and commentary by Andrea. The test offers a double perspective: on the one hand, AI is ‘other’ in relation to humans, but on the other hand AI can also reproduce different forms of otherness in terms of bias, equity, and representation. Moreover, such an exercise is meant to favour a general critical reflection on the systems of AI, but it also triggers specific critical considerations on the relation between AI and IOW project.
- chelha: by Ramdane Touati. This entry examines a term used in Tamazight (Berber), Arabic, and French to refer to languages and ethnic groups. In most contexts, aside from southern Morocco, the term signifies alterity—particularly concerning language—and often carries a pejorative connotation. Chelha specifically refers to a subaltern language that lacks recognition and legitimacy from others. Arabic speakers use this term to refer to Tamazight and other languages, while Amazigh speakers in Kabylia use it to refer to Arabs. And it is in this pejorative sense, indicating Otherness, that it was introduced into French from these same languages.
- colonialism: this entry, collectively written by the students of the Class 5As of the High School ‘A. Volta’, Turin, Italy, discusses the notion of colonialism, focusing in particular on Italian colonialism and on how it has been long gone undercover in the Italian historical narrative of Italiani brava gente [Italians, good people]. Their entry also presents some postcolonial fundamental studies and analyses the ways in which the hegemonic features of colonialism have then been denounced and exposed in Italian and international literature, movies, documentaries, and the visual arts.
- queer: by UDE queering collective. A historically charged and politically contested term, queer has evolved into both an identity and a statement of resistance. In German discourse, however, it remains polarizing—most notably when politicians like Alice Weidel and Jens Spahn, who could themselves be read as part of the queer community, reject the term to distance themselves from broader LGBTQIA+ activism. This entry, written by three M.A. English students as part of a Queer Linguistics seminar at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, examines the term’s linguistic evolution, political contradictions, and ongoing debates, while the authors remain anonymous due to its polarizing nature.
- trans: by Victoria Odeniyi and Romain Potier. The keyword entry begins with a brief history of the use of trans in English and French. It starts with commonly held definitions and uses of trans from elite sports, social and traditional media mainly from France and UK contexts. It then problematises contemporary uses of trans as largely unhelpful and discriminatory. Anti-trans discourses can hide racism and other forms of discrimination (social class, Islamophobia). There is growing evidence that the erasure of trans existence is part of a wider goal to maintain supremacy of one group of people over others.
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IOWers at CONFERENCES
Transylvania University of Brasov, Romania.
March 21-22
Conference DN32: Discourse Across Culture (in person and online)
The Conference hosted more than 40 participants from several European and Middle Eastern countries, and Canada. The presentations examined discursive strategies in many cross-cultural contexts – among others: political speech, advertising, street art, sequential art, literature, humour, education.
Paola Giorgis, Ivanka Mavrodieva, Olena Semenets, Bilyana Todorova, Andrea C. Valente presented their panel Discourses on Otherness across and beyond Cultures discussing: Otherness/Othering; Nostalgia and Otherness - The Role of Social Media and Political Language in Creating Division between Social Groups via True and Imagined Memories; The concept of sacrality and changes in the public consciousness of Ukrainians during the Great War; The Educator in the GenAI Movement: Destabilizations, Otherness and Discourses; Otherness between creativity and repetition, between membership and individuality. They also showed how discourses on Otherness can be subverted by illustrating examples from the dictionary In Other Words (IOW).
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This is an open space where both contributors and readers can signal books, blogs, podcasts, videos, that they find relevant to the discussion on Otherness, and how communicative strategies and practices work to (re)produce or challenge Othering.
Please send your suggestions to paola.giorgis@iowdictionary.org
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Sharp, Joanne (2023). Geographies of Postcolonialism. Spaces of Power and Representation. 2nd edition. London: SAGE.
All throughout the centuries, maps and geography were not only instruments for exploration and navigation, but also the visual and spatial representations of power and domination. Colonial empires shaped the hegemonic management of lands and landscapes inhabited by ‘imagined others’, but Otherness continues to be (re)produced through spatial borders and the new geographies of cultural imperialism.
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CALLS FOR PAPERS: CONFERENCES |
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Dresden, Germany TU – Technical University Resisting the Backlash: Defending Intersectional, Decolonial, and Postcolonial Feminisms Deadline: March 31st Dates: 01-02 October 2025 at TU Dresden, Germany
The International Conference that explores the growing backlash against gender, queer, intersectional, decolonial, and postcolonial studies. This event aims to critically examine the forces undermining these fields and to discuss strategies for countering these challenges in academic, activist, policy, journalistic, and public spheres.
Submit abstracts (maximum 300 words) to
project.pushbacklash@tu-dresden.de. Successful applicants will be notified by
30 April 2025, and full papers will be due by 31 July 2025.
Hosted by: The Chair in Political Theory and History of Ideas at the Technical University of Dresden, in the context of the EU-funded project Anti-Gender Backlash and Democratic Pushback: https://pushbacklash.eu/
In cooperation with: The Equal Opportunities Office of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences: https://tu-dresden.de/gsw/der-bereich/chancengleichheit?set_language=en
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Belgrade, Serbia Alfa BK University; online via Google Meet LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND EMPATHY - 14th International Conference on Language and Literary Studies Deadline: March 31st
Dates: 30-31 May Empathy, as the ability to understand and share the feelings, emotions, or perspectives of another person, plays a crucial role in human relationships, communication, and in fostering understanding between individuals and cultures. The aim of the conference is to explore the profound connections between linguistic expression, literary creativity, and the human capacity for empathy. Abstract (200 to 300 words) can be submitted at this link:
Language, Literature, and Empathy / Jezik, književnost i empatija Conference fee is 50 euros.
Further info: fsj.conference@alfa.edu.rs
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University of Kent, UK
Online@University of Kent 7th Modern Languages Research and Teaching Forum. Intercultural Communication & EDI in Language Education Deadline: April 4th
Date: 3 June
The forum will be divided into two parts, each addressing one of the following crucial topics in language education:
Part 1: Bridging Cultures: The Role of Intercultural Communication in Language Education Part 2: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in Language Education: Creating Inclusive and Accessible Learning Spaces Submissions (300 words abstracts) include individual papers, workshops, and panel discussions. Contributions should provide theoretical insights, practical strategies, and/or empirical research into the themes of intercultural communication and EDI in language education at any level. Full CfP: https://research.kent.ac.uk/languages-teaching-forum/news-and-events/forum-7-june-2025-intercultural-communication-edi-in-language-education/
Contacts: Wissia Fiorucci: w.fiorucci@kent.ac.uk
Alvise Sforza Tarabochia: a.sforza-tarabochia@kent.ac.uk. |
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CALLS FOR PAPERS: PUBLICATIONS |
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Untangling the knots between disinformation and inequalities
Call for papers for a bilingual (English or French) special issue in
Recherches en communication:
https://ojs.uclouvain.be/index.php/rec/announcement/view/1233
Deadline for Abstracts: April, 6th
A whole area of media and communication research investigates how different inequalities shape, and are shaped by, the production, the circulation, the reception and the effects of news and other kinds of information. This bilingual (English and French) special issue aims to develop such lines of enquiry within the field of disinformation research.
Link to the full text of the call:
https://ojs.uclouvain.be/index.php/rec/announcement/view/1233
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Bilyana Todorova of IOW’s Editorial Board is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal Ezikov svyat - Orbis Linguarum: https://ezikovsvyat.swu.bg/index.php/en/
Orbis Linguarum is the academic journal of the Faculty of Philology at South-West University Neofit Rilski. It publishes materials in the field of linguistics, literary studies, cultural studies, teaching methodology, reviews and opinions on books and academic events.The journal is indexed in several international databases – Scopus, CEEOL, ERIH PLUS, Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, Crossref and RISC. The new issue (23.1) of the academic journal has been published online. It contains 20 manuscripts in Bulgarian, English, French, and Ukrainian.
The texts are available on the website:
https://ezikovsvyat.swu.bg/index.php/en/current-issue
The journal accepts materials for Issues No 24.1, 24.2 and 24.3 (2026).
Please submit your manuscript here: ezikovsvyat@swu.bg.
More information about the journal and the guidelines for authors can be found at: https://ezikovsvyat.swu.bg/index.php/en/pren
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Ivanka Mavrodieva of IOW’s Editorial Board is the Editor-in-Chief of the
Rhetoric and Communications journal, an open access peer-reviewed quarterly scientific journal. The journal publishes original research papers, review articles and brief reports, aimed to cover all aspects of research into rhetoric, media communication, public communication, intercultural communication, Internet communication, business communication, academic communication, pedagogical communication, advertising communication, visual communication, brand communication, marketing communication, argumentation, and applied linguistics.
More information about the journal and the guidelines for authors can be found at: https://journal.rhetoric.bg/
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TRANSCULTURAL & INTERCULTURAL ISSUES
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ESTIDIA (European Society for Transcultural and Interdisciplinary Dialogue) is a non-profit organization that fosters dialogue across disciplines and cultures, cultivates contacts with university networks and publishers, and promotes initiatives and projects among its members. ESTIDIA brings together senior and junior colleagues belonging to various disciplines and professional orientations, who wish to establish contacts and to collaborate across cultural and disciplinary borders in Europe and beyond. By becoming a member of ESTIDIA you will be part of a vibrant international community and enjoy several advantages. You can find more info and subscribe here:
https://www.estidia.eu/membership
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| The Center for Intercultural Dialogue (CID) facilitates intercultural dialogues through helping scholars learn about the work of international peers, locate researchers with similar interests in other countries, or collaborate for research purposes.
It is a rich and updated online resource that offers a lot of info about intercultural issues, language and linguistics – call for papers, job offers, fellowships, conferences, international programs, interviews, videos, and podcasts.
https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.org
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------------------------------- We are looking forward to hearing your comments and suggestions, as well as to welcoming your contributions! In the meanwhile, take care & stay tuned!
Paola Giorgis on behalf of IOW's Editorial Board
For further info, please write to: info@iowdictionary.org
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