Open Cultural Studies: Minority languages and cultures and the politics of disenfranchisement

The recent changes in the political leadership of various countries has revealed attitudes ranging from disinterest to downright disenfranchisement towards immigrants. Under the ideas of stronger border controls and a new bout of nationalism, minority cultures and languages seem to be at a higher risk than before. With these discourses sparking up in swaths of the global North, there are a great deal of questions arising for minority groups world-wide. The return of political parties that favour the one-country, one-culture, one-language ideas imply new challenges for minority cultures and languages within their borders. What avenues are there for these minority groups to defy the homogenization and acculturation paradigm that is ensuing? That is the central question of this call for papers for this special issue of the Open Cultural Studies journal.

Topics of interest may address issues such as:

• Political participation of minority cultures and languages after Brexit;
• Media policy for minority cultures and languages;
• International debates and policy regarding migration, travel requirements and other conditions;
• Effects of the recent political changes to international conventions, agreements and accords (i.e. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages);
• Current situation of trans-border cultural minorities and diasporas;
• Political participation and recognition of indigenous, aboriginal, first nations, and ethnic minorities within national/international borders;
• Resistance strategies of minority cultures;
• Conceptual discussions of the categories “minority” and “minoritised” in regards to language;
• Specific minority language situations after recent political changes (i.e. Spanish-language instruction in the US);
• Counter-hegemonic and post-colonial resistance and critique.

The politics of disenfranchisement work against the many advances to recognise the multicultural nature of most nation-states and the intercultural relationships that stem from the history of colonisation and the recent trends of migration and ICTs development. Contrary to a general openness to intercultural dialogue, the new paradigm returns to a monocultural and monolingual conception of the State. It sets itself against international or regional integration and promotes a separatist stance that favours cultural homogeneity and culturalisation strategies. This call seeks to reach as many international perspectives and developments that may contrast those examples of the global North by showing that, despite its political and media influence and preponderance, there is a distinct move against such a perspective in various corners of the world. Not only does this call mean to highlight that the global North is not the only point of reference, but also that there is a great diversity of approaches, resistance strategies, and standpoints for the maintenance of minority languages and cultures in the global South.

We welcome all types of articles, whether critical or empirical, that address how minority languages and cultures are responding to the trends stemming from the global North.

Only original and unpublished submissions will be considered.  Manuscripts should be between 5000-7000 words and should adhere to the latest MLA style.

The deadline for expressions of interest will be 31/08/2017.  Deadline for full papers 31/10/2017.

Please submit your proposals to izabella.penier@degruyteropen.com