Tue, Feb 19, 2008
Workshop Announcement - Climate, Language and Indigenous Perspectives
The Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is hosting "Climate, Language and Indigenous Perspectives (CLIP)," an informal workshop on how linguistic knowledge can form a link between scientific inquiry and indigenous perspectives of climate. The workshop will be held at UAF on 13-15 August 2008. Participants will include linguists, natural scientists, and cultural anthropologists, as well as speakers of indigenous languages.
The workshop focuses on how knowledge of the language (both speaking expertise and knowledge of linguistic structure) can inform natural science. Discussion will be facilitated by paper presentations and discussion groups focused on:
Topic 1 - Comparing vocabularies: How does knowledge of indigenous classifications (e.g., land/landforms, ice, water) inform scientific research? This session may be broken up into several subtopics depending on the number of suggestions received.
Topic 2 - What can we learn from Oral Histories?
Topic 3 - Naming systems: Place names and month/season names. Is climate change reflected in such names?
Proposals are especially invited for "mixed" group presentations that include a speaker of a relevant native language. Workshop organizers are open to suggestions as they refine the structure of the workshop. Native language, however, must be a significant factor in all discussions.
For questions and abstract submissions, please contact:
Olga Lovick
Phone 907-474-5591
Topic 1 - Comparing vocabularies: How does knowledge of indigenous classifications (e.g., land/landforms, ice, water) inform scientific research? This session may be broken up into several subtopics depending on the number of suggestions received.
Topic 2 - What can we learn from Oral Histories?Topic 3 - Naming systems: Place names and month/season names. Is climate change reflected in such names?
Proposals are especially invited for "mixed" group presentations that include a speaker of a relevant native language. Workshop organizers are open to suggestions as they refine the structure of the workshop. Native language, however, must be a significant factor in all discussions.
For questions and abstract submissions, please contact:
Olga Lovick
Phone 907-474-5591