Date

Call for Papers
"Climate, Language, and Indigenous Perspectives (CLIP)" Workshop
Alaska Native Language Center
University of Alaska Fairbanks
13-15 August 2008

Abstract Deadline: Monday, 31 March 2008

For further information, please go to:
http://www.uaf.edu/anlc/clip/

Or contact:
Olga Lovick
E-mail: Olga [at] lithophile.com
Phone 907-474-5591


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?

Papers are invited on any of the above mentioned topics. Proposals are
especially invited for "mixed" group presentations that include a
speaker of a relevant native language. The workshop organizers are open
to suggestions as they refine the structure of the workshop. Native
language(s), however, must be a significant factor in all discussions.

Please send your 1-page (maximum) abstract as a .doc or .pdf attachment
to Olga Lovick at:
Olga [at] lithophile.com .
Specify "CLIP-abstract" as the subject of your message. Do not include
your name in the abstract. Instead, include your name and the title of
your abstract in the message body of your email. If using special
characters, please embed the font(s) used into your .pdf document.

Abstracts are due no later than Monday, 31 March 2008.