Speaking of language and culture: A report on the conference “Approaches to Migration, Language, and Identity”

Abstract

The entwined phenomena of migration, language and identity occupy a unique global position. Global mobility influences how human beings relate to one another on geographic, political, and social scales, and these connections and their individual parts stand in a mutually constitutive relationship. It is of utmost importance that academic discourses on these topics are addressed in ways that help positively shape the effects of global flows. Therefore, Anita Auer and Jennifer Thorburn from the University of Lausanne held a three-day conference from the 4th to the 6th of May 2017 at their university, which provided an interdisciplinary forum for discussion of concepts, ideas, and methods for researching migration, language, and identity. Scholars from around the world and across disciplines arrived to discuss the interrelated nature of these concepts.

Keywords

• conference report
• language
• culture
• migration
• identity