Language, People, and Society

Conference Proceedings of 2023 McGill Symposium of Language Studies: The articles presented in this book are the result of a gathering of their authors at the McGill Symposium of Language Studies in the fall of 2023. At this symposium, presenters from various research disciplines came together to discuss the necessity and rationale for creating a form of language studies that, instead of focusing on linguistic structures and the history of languages, addresses the condition of language speakers; in other words, the need for a human-centered approach to language studies. The symposium, which hosted hundreds of attendees over three days, provided a unique opportunity to learn from professors and researchers whose work has the potential to challenge the dominant language-centered perspective in language studies in various ways. Emphasizing the interconnectedness of language with society and humanity, the presentations at this event explored ways to move beyond language-centric linguistics to deepen our understanding of the role of language in human life, society, and power relations. The publication of this book is yet another step in fostering this important dialogue. Edited by Amir Kalan, Mahdi Ganjavi, Anisa Jafari, and Lale Javanshir, this volume is a significant scholarly contribution to language studies, featuring work from esteemed scholars across various continents and disciplines. Two chapters also study Iran sign language. The book includes contributions by the following esteemed scholars: Amir Kalan, Shahrzad Mojab, Yalda Kaveh, Sima Hasan Dokht Firooz, Sara Siavoshi, Ardavan Guity, Jafer Sheikhalislami, Anisa Jafari, Vahid Rashidi, Samad Pourmousavi, Hajar Kabiri, Saqi Ghahreman, Suzan Karimi, and Elmira Bahmani.