ANOMALIES
Disruptions from linguistic, literary, and cultural norms
Doctoral Conference
Università degli Studi di Milano
December 3, 2024 – December 5, 2024
In a world perpetually shaped by societal norms, the emergence of ‘anomalies’ triggers a transformative dialogue that questions the very essence of what is considered conventional. “An irregular fact, characteristic, or circumstance; an oddity, an outlier; an anomalous person or thing”, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, anomalies escape unambiguous categorization. So much so that from different disciplinary perspectives emerges a constellation of constantly evolving definitions (e.g. in psychiatry and psychology, Chibeni, 2007; in medicine, Arney, 1983; in anthropology, Ruth, 2017; in literature, culture, didactics and linguistics, von Jarosław Wiliński & Stolarek, 2017). This call for papers invites researchers in linguistic, literary and cultural disciplines to explore and analyse the profound impact of anomalies on language, literature, theatre, education and culture. How do these deviations from the norm create ruptures in traditional systems?
Contributions are encouraged to deepen the narratives that emerge when anomalies intersect with society’s expectations.
Thinking of discourse as a social construct, Foucault (1972) argues that reality is not a fixed and immobile entity, but rather something partial and situated. Consequently, this is reflected in knowledge and discourse, which are not limited to the mere description of reality, but are actively shaped and shape the understanding of reality itself. In the context of anomalies, this concept appears of fundamental importance, because if speech, knowledge and reality influence each other, it is natural to observe examples of countercultures and/or alternative perspectives in the real world. In the contemporary context, characterised by mass communication, the emergence of certain ideas finds expression in new media, giving life to new communicative spaces in which the hegemonic discourse (Gramsci, 1971) can be challenged by the emergence of divergent and resistive discourses (Fozdar & Pedersen, 2013; Kelsey & Bennett, 2014).
In these terms, ‘power’ can be described as an asymmetrical relationship between different social actors, conceived as a possibility for individuals not only to exercise their will, but also to include forms of resistance (Weber, 1980). Discourse studies have shown how the emergence of ‘anomalies’ in epistemological systems has redefined the very structures of the hegemonic system, through the study of pseudosciences (Bordignon, 2023), pseudo political subcultures and movements (Tkachivska 2016), Queer Linguistics (Leap 2012), extremist movements in real and virtual spaces (Peeters et al. 2021), and many other phenomena.
In literature, the dynamics of mixing, distortion and variation in textual levels (Genette, 1972) are widely explored phenomena. Mechanisms such as the irregularity in the chronological succession of the recount, the insertion of anomalous or marginal characters and the polyphonic text (Bachtin, 1963), not only challenge the linearity of the page, but also the traditional textual conventions specific to a literary period. Another relevant aspect is the permeability of the textual levels, which manifests itself through the introduction of non-literary elements such as photos (Carrara, 2020), footnotes and materials from the virtual universe. These elements enrich the text and contribute to its narrative function, offering new perspectives for the reception of the reader. Moreover, there is a reflection on marginality at both narrative and social level, which not only represents a condition of exclusion, but also an alternative perspective for accessing reality and subverting hegemonic discourses.
In contemporary theatre, following the disruptions with tradition enacted by the European avant-gardes, a new experimentalism emerged – linguistic and/or structural – that challenged the linearity of discourse and immediate understanding. Soon, peculiar changes in perspective proliferated, coalescing in a total redefinition of the authorial weight. These trends arose from the rediscovery of the performative encounter and lead to the development of theories such as the post-dramatic (Lehmann, 2006) and practices such as immersive theatre (Machon, 2013). Significantly, overthrowing the playwright’s authority over the performance galvanised new means of expression that resulted in a redefinition of the idea of “authorship” (Rebellato, 2013), as well as a reconfiguring of the relationship with the audience.
In the field of teaching, the history of the evolution of pedagogical approaches is characterised by ‘anomalous’ figures, who have introduced educational innovations in contrast with the dominant ideas of the time. These non-conformist figures have developed innovative educational practices, based on the intuition and observation of children and adolescents – also in marginal contexts – thus contributing to the theoretical and practical development of pedagogy and teaching methodologies. Personalities such as Maria Montessori, Mario Lodi, Loris Malaguzzi, Don Lorenzo Milani and Paulo Freire marked a turning point in national and international educational paradigms with ideas that led to changes, scientific progress and ideological renewal.
From the unconventional to the extraordinary, which at times becomes ordinary, we are looking for papers on how such deviations may push us to challenge the very idea of conventionality and anomaly, and to question our own comprehension of “normal” in various contexts. Topics may include but are not limited to:
Ideological anomalies: analysing on a linguistic level how ideological anomalies within political movements have brought about significant changes in political narratives, challenging conventional points of view and influencing civil participation. Such narratives have often given rise to new perspectives on the past, contributing to a critical rewriting of history and influencing collective identity through texts which redefine, overturn, or renounce normative ideologies.
- Cultural anomalies: investigating how anomalies in cultural practices, beliefs, or expressions – ritual and ceremonial – may have led to moments of transformation in history and in literature, occasionally giving life to countercultures and subcultures that have strongly influenced social and political movements. Among others, noteworthy approaches include post-colonial studies dealing with anomaly in relation to the liminality and marginalisation of those identities that are othered on the basis of ethnicity, culture, or nationality (Said, 1978; Fredericks, 2020; Moosavinia & Hosseini, 2018). Furthermore, critical approaches concerning cultural and artistic representations of gender, sexual orientation, and corporeality as an act of resistance (Justice, 2010; Dragan, 2016).
Translation anomalies: investigating potential anomalies in literary, audiovisual, or specialised translation both from a linguistic, cultural, or methodological point of view and in the selection of unconventional themes and/or works (Aniskina & Vedernikova, 2017). Indeed, translation can be a space of creativity and experimentation, which, on the one hand, leads to rethinking the fundamental principles of translation, literature and intercultural communication theory (Brzostowska-Tereszkiewicz & Bazarnik, 2023), and, on the other, it takes into consideration the potentiality and risks of introducing new technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence – in the translating process (Das, 2018). Additionally, specific translation cases reveal the political dimension of translation attesting how certain conventional representations need to be modified, adapted, and modernised in relation to the social-historical context of the target text (Pfeiffer, 2010; Baker, 2020).
Gender and sexuality studies: analysing how deviations from gender norms challenge social constructs and promote new perspectives on identity. One aspect of this topic concerns the linguistic experiences of the homosexual, transgender, and non-binary communities. Linguistic strategies implemented within these communities not only reflect, but also influence the cultural comprehension of gender identity and sexuality, proving how language represents a tool by which it is possible to deconstruct and reformulate traditional concepts of gender, offering new keys of understanding and, sometimes, encouraging greater inclusivity.
Scientific and technological innovations: investigating how technological innovations have created anomalies in linguistic, educational, literary, and cultural systems. In this context, an area of particular interest concerns the new linguistic “codes” generated by new communication technologies (e.g. emojis, abbreviations), which have transformed writing and communication, influencing not only the way we express ourselves but also the very structure of everyday language, while deviating from prescriptive linguistic norms. At the same time, the role of Artificial Intelligence represents a transformative anomaly, as its influence has also been exerted on literary creation itself through the use of generative algorithms, raising new questions that concern the very concept of authorship.
- Innovations in the teaching field: investigating new approaches to teaching foreign languages that represent a breaking and turning point compared to traditional methods. Therefore, proposals may include the analysis of non-conventional teaching experiences in multiple learning contexts, or the study of ‘anomalies’ in the classroom (SEN, SLD, Giftedness) which, especially in the past, were conceived as disturbing elements in teaching contexts, from a segregation and exclusion perspective.
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Proposals
To submit a proposal, please send the following attachments in Word and PDF format to the e-mail address convegno.anomalie@unimi.it by August, 4:
- Abstract (individual proposal) in Italian and/or English. Individual abstracts should not exceed 300 words and 3 keywords, and should be anonymised (i.e. do not enter personal information in the text and the name of the file);
- Abstract (panel or round table proposal) in Italian and/or English. Abstracts for panels or round tables should not exceed 400 words and 5 keywords, and should be anonymised.
- Biosketch of each author in Italian and/or English should not exceed 50-100 words and should be included in a file different from that of the abstract.