THE 2012 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENRE STUDIES

Rethinking Genre Twenty Years Later: 

An International Conference on Genre Studies
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
June 26-29, 2012

 Website: www.carleton.ca/genre2012

Genre 2012 will continue the tradition and scholarly conversation that originated with the first international colloquium on Genre Studies, “Rethinking Genre,” held at Carleton University in 1992.

The goals of Genre 2012 are the following:

• To create a dialogue among the three major traditions of Genre Studies: (a) English for Specific Purposes (ESP), (b) North American/New Rhetorical Studies, and (c) Australian Systemic Functional Linguistics (the Sydney School);
• To present the most recent research developments in each of these three traditions with respect to writing in academic, workplace, and community settings;
• To explore possible convergences among the three traditions; and
• To provide a communicative space for discussion of other possible approaches to Genre Studies.

Keynote speakers:

Charles Bazerman (University of California, Santa Barbara, USA)

Vijay Bhatia (City University of Hong Kong)

Ken Hyland (University of Hong Kong)

James Martin (University of Sydney, Australia)

Carolyn Miller (North Carolina State University, USA)

David Russell (Iowa State University, USA)

Catherine Schryer (Ryerson University, Canada)

John Swales (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, USA).

Special session presenters:

Anis Bawarshi (University of Washington, USA)

Heidi Byrnes (Georgetown University, USA)

Amy Devitt (University of Kansas, USA)

Ann Johns (San Diego State University, USA)

Anthony Paré (McGill University, Canada)

David Rose (University of Sydney, Australia)

Clay Spinuzzi (University of Texas at Austin, USA)

Christine Tardy (DePaul University, USA).

Proposals: We invite research-informed papers of any theoretical or methodological orientation on any aspect of Genre Studies related to the goals indicated above. Accordingly, papers might address topics such as these:

• The roles and functions of genres in different linguistic and social contexts.
• Genre proficiencies in different contexts.
• Learning and teaching genres in specific contexts.
• The broad range of methodologies used to study non-literary written genres.
• Genres and new technologies.

We also invite proposals on any other topics related to the study of non-literary written genres.

Proposals should identify the preferred format (20-minute individual presentation or 90-minute panel with several presenters). Students are encouraged to submit proposals for either individual presentations or posters. The registration fee for the conference will be waived for all student presenters and for Carleton University students.

Proposals for individual presentations, panels, and posters should include a title, an abstract of 300 words or less, and contact information. Panel proposals should, in addition, include the names of all presenters and the titles of their papers. (In all cases, the 300-word limit excludes the list of references).

Proposals should situate the topic in the research literature  identify one or more research questions; describe the theoretical approach and the method(s) of data collection and analysis; and where applicable, discuss the findings  Theoretical explorations of relevant topics are also welcome.

The deadline for proposals is October 15, 2011. Please send proposals as an email attachment in .doc or .rtf format to genre2012@connect.carleton.ca, including the words “Genre 2012 proposal” in the subject line. Updated conference information will be available at www.carleton.ca/genre2012.