RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF SWAHILI STUDIES OF EASTERN AFRICA
(RISSEA)
SWAHILI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2012
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Kiswahili has been the lingua franca of the east African region since the arrival of the first foreigners on the east African littoral. A trading language that was utilized by all traders to go into the African hinterland with trading routes and empires established along. In colonial east Africa and post independent Africa the number of Swahili speakers has increased drastically making it the fastest growing language in modern Africa.
In 2009, a proposal was put forward during a meeting in Dar es Salaam that Kiswahili be an official language in the United Nations alongside other major world languages like English. The suggestion came after Africa Union had adopted Kiswahili as one of the official languages utilized during its sessions. The significance of Kiswahili as an official language, regionally, was elevated by the adoption of the East African Community as one of the criteria for membership in the trading block. Individual countries like Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi have already put in place plans of incorporating Kiswahili in their national education curricula. Kenya has recently entrenched Kiswahili as her second official language in its new constitution. What does this tell a common man on the streets of east Africa and beyond? That Kiswahili now is being put into officialdom to be utilized in all spheres of human interaction anywhere in the world. This is the status Kiswahili has gained currently.
How are we prepared for such monumental tasks of developing Kiswahili in the same manner as what other world languages are doing? Phenomenological realities such as globalization and laser speed scientific and technological advancements warrant what kind of pace Kiswahili should roll its engines? Emerging issues such as environmental concerns, peace and security, interstate relations, changing World Orders, upcoming metropolises, ever mutating education systems, calls for democracy, media publications and the resultant African identity concerns put Kiswahili on the spot on which is/are the best option offered by Kiswahili to address these issues?
The workshop welcomes presentations from diverse disciplines in the arts and sciences that will highlight ways in which Kiswahili as an official language will be utilized in this era of inter disciplinary networks in all human dealings. The papers will, and not limited to, shed light on general and applied linguistics covering any field area.
All abstracts of maximum 500 words in Word format to reach khalidkitito@yahoo.com before the deadline date mentioned below.
THEME OF THE CONFERENCE: OFFICIAL LANGUAGE AND DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF KISWAHILI IN MODERN AFRICA
SUB THEMES:
1. KISWAHILI & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
2. KISWAHILI, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT
3. KISWAHILI & AFRICA CULTURAL IDENTITY
4. KISWAHILI & THE METROPOLIS
5. KISWAHILI & AFRICAN STATES INTEGRATION
6. KISWAHILI & EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN AFRICA
7. KISWAHILI & CIVIC EDUCATION
8. KISWAHILI & AFRICAN LITERATURE
9. KISWAHILI & DEMOCRACY
10. KISWAHILI & THE MEDIA
11. KISWAHILI & CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN AFRICA
Papers could focus on the sub themes mentioned or the overall theme in general.
IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE
| 13TH APRIL 2012 | CALL FOR ABSTRACTS SENT OUT |
| 31ST MAY 2012 | DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS |
| 15TH JUNE 2012 | ACCEPTANCE LETTERS TO PRESENTERS |
| 15TH SEPTEMBER 2012 | DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PAPERS |
| 25TH – 27TH OCTOBER 2012 | SWAHILI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE |
LANGUAGE OF THE CONFERENCE: KISWAHILI AND ENGLISH
VENUE: RISSEA, KENYA
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION RATES:
FOREIGNERS USD 100
FOREIGN STUDENTS USD 50
LOCALS KSH 3000
STUDENTS (LOCAL) KSH 2000
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE GIVEN LUNCH AND TWO TEAS. THE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN TRANSPORT, ACCOMODATION, AND ALL OTHER SUNDRIES.
