African multilingualism: motivations, modalities, movement and meaning

Convenors: Professor Friederike Lüpke, SOAS, University of London and Professor Anne Storch, Universität zu Köln

With multilingualism as a major research theme for linguistics and social sciences, this conference places Africa at the centre of cross-disciplinary research. We will take stock of existing and emerging research, e.g. of the role of youth languages in urban contexts or of the use of multiple languages in popular music and literature. Unique components will be the discussion of topics that are commonly debated in separate disciplines and our perspective on multilingual settings in both urban and rural areas. Finally, we hope to break a widespread hegemonic view in favour of a perspective informed by intimate insights into lived multilingualism.

Speakers include:

Dr Klaus Beyer, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Germany
Dr Pierpaolo di Carlo, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA
Dr Ibrahima Cissé, Université Bamako, Mali
Dr Alexander Cobbinah, SOAS, University of London, UK
Professor Jeff Good, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA
Samantha Goodchild MA, SOAS, University of London, UK
Dr Abbie Hantgan, SOAS, University of London, UK
Dr Kasper Juffermans, University of Luxembourg
Nkululeko Mabandla, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Professor Fiona McLaughlin, University of Florida, USA
Dr Judith Mgbemena, Federal University Wukari, Nigeria
Dr Bettina Migge, University College Dublin, Ireland
Nico Nassenstein MA, Universität zu Köln, Germany
Dr Emmanuel Ngue Um, University of Buea, Cameroon
Dr Victoria Nyst, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dr Daniel Orwenjo, Kenyatta University Nairobi, Kenya
Dr Stephanie Rudwick, University of Leipzig
Dr Anne Schumann, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Bernardino Tavares, University of Luxembourg
Professor Konrad Tuchscherer, St. John’s University, New York City, USA
Dr Rachel Watson, SOAS, University of London, UK
Professor Hirut Woldemariam, University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia