Monday, March 28, 2005

Special Issue Call for Papers:

"Minority languages, multimedia and the Web"

For The New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia, 2005 (2)

Guest Editors:

Daniel Cunliffe, University of Glamorgan, UK (djcunlif@glam.ac.uk), Susan Herring, Indiana University, USA (herring@indiana.edu)

Information and communications technology, and in particular the World Wide Web, can be a double-edged sword as regards the maintenance and revitalisation of minority languages. On the one hand, minority language communities can be active shapers of these technologies, creating their own tools, adapting existing tools to local needs, and creating culturally authentic, indigenous electronic media. On the other hand, these technologies can be seen as a force for globalisation and neo-colonisation, reinforcing the existing dominance of majority languages and breaking down geographical boundaries that in the past may have protected minority language groups.

Researching the effects of multimedia and the Web on minority languages is challenging, and it is not yet clear how best to utilise these technologies to maintain and revitalise minority languages. This special issue invites researchers and practitioners who are actively engaged in addressing these issues from practical or theoretical viewpoints to share their findings and experiences and to contribute to a platform for future research. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

Minority language applications:

• designing, implementing and evaluating applications
• measuring the impact of applications on language use
• promoting indigenous production and participatory design

Influence of ICTs on minority languages:

• adaptation of languages to online environments, e.g., Romanisation
• behaviour of minority language speakers in online environments

Measuring online minority languages:

• quantitative and qualitative measurement of online presence and use
• content related analysis of online presence and use

Strategic issues:

• understanding barriers to online minority language use
• integrating multimedia and the Web into language planning

Article submissions should typically be no longer than 7,000 words (excluding references) and should follow the formatting guidelines in the Instructions to Authors on the NRHM web site (www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/13614568.asp). Submissions should be sent by email to the Guest Editors, in Word, rtf or pdf format. If you have any questions concerning the scope of the call or require further information, please contact the Guest Editors. Open topic papers meeting NRHM's scope in general are also welcome (contact the Editor for further information).

Submission deadline: April 30, 2005

Acceptance notification: June 30, 2005

Final manuscripts due: August 31, 2005

NRHM Editor Douglas Tudhope - dstudhope@glam.ac.uk

Associate Editor Daniel Cunliffe - djcunlif@glam.ac.uk

NRHM is published by Taylor & Francis