International Conference on The Trans- Phenomenon in Language, Literature, and Culture

November 15-16, 2024

Organized by the Department of English and Humanities

The Department of English and Humanities, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, cordially invites you to the 2024 International Conference on The Trans- Phenomenon in Language, Literature, and Culture. We conceptualize the 'trans-' prefix in three dimensions based on existing scholarship. The first dimension of 'trans' is the movement between and beyond established systems and structures. Colonial and nationalist forces territorialize languages, literatures, and cultures into politically constructed categories such as Bangla language, English language, Arabic literature, American literature, Indian culture, Japanese culture, and so on. These territorializations were designed to maintain distinct boundaries between each respective category, preventing any significant overlap or intermingling. The second dimension of ‘trans-’ holds transformative potential as it combines various elements of our linguistic and cognitive abilities, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and social encounters from distinct territorial categories. This combination of different elements leads to the development of new skills, knowledge, and attitudes, ultimately leading to the emergence of fresh translingual, transcultural, and transnational identities. The third dimension of ‘trans-’ is transdisciplinary, as it embraces translingual, transcultural, and transnational experiences as a lens through which to view human sociality, cognition, social relationships, and social structures in an integrated and holistic manner.

We welcome submissions that examine the 'trans-' phenomenon by drawing on recent scholarship in translanguaging, transculturalism, and transnationalism. To begin, translanguaging scholarship highlights a fluid, dynamic understanding of language, in contrast to the socially and politically constructed named-languages such as Bangla, English, and Hindi. Secondly, transculturalism scholarship emphasizes the creative and transformative aspects of cultural adaptation, where individuals position themselves in liminal social contexts and draw upon the values and practices of various cultures to continuously shape their identity and sense of belonging. Lastly, transnationalism scholarship imagines a world where the authority of nation-states to regulate migration and other forms of circulation has been progressively diminished. This paradigm shift entails the merging of cultural and political characteristics unique to nation-states with the emergence of multilevel and multinational activities in a new space that transcends territorial nation-states.

To sum up, the trans- phenomenon encompasses theoretical concepts such as translanguaging, transculturalism, and transnationalism that involve dynamic movement between languages, cultures, and national identities. The trans- phenomenon opposes the political agenda of nation-states that enforce territorial boundaries on languages, literatures, cultures, and nationalities. It aims to promote social justice by empowering individuals, communities, families, learners, and educators whose languages, literatures, cultures, and identities have been marginalized by dominant national languages and cultures. Instead of relying on a predominantly monolingual and monocultural ideology, pedagogical constructs derived from translanguaging, transculturalism, and transnationalism may open up academic spaces where students and teachers can use their entire selves, including linguistic, cultural, ideological, and identity factors, to build new identities with widened dispositions to appreciate linguistic and cultural diversity. In this conference, we invite you to explore the implications of the trans-movement in our practices and pedagogies.

Conference Brochure

Conference Schedule

For inquiries: [email protected]