Congress Theme
SFAX, TUNISIA
Pre-Congress Institute:
16-17 March 2023
SOUSSE, TUNISIA
Congress:
18-21 March 2023
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) strives to stand as a powerful theory capable of explaining how language works and how it is being used to fulfil experiential and social functions, meeting, thus, the need for “more powerful and abstract theories of experience” (Webster, 2004, p. vii).
The power of SFL theory is in its flexible applicability and its rich descriptive resources which are deployed not only to explain how meaning is created, negotiated, and structured in different social contexts but also how these descriptions can be used in pedagogical settings. Indeed, researchers from different fields have been empowered by the SFL theoretical model and methodological toolkits. Thus, research fields like discourse analysis, language learning and teaching, translation, natural language processing, and other professional fields such as business, media and healthcare communication often draw on SFL theory in their research and practices.
While providing “theoretical and descriptive resources to empower researchers to undertake projects of investigation and intervention in many contexts” (Matthiessen, 2013, p. 437), SFL has also been empowered by research undertaken in these contexts. Such an interaction has enabled researchers and practitioners in SFL and other disciplines to take advantage of the various tools and taxonomies offered by the theory. Yet, at the same time, it has made them contribute, whether directly or indirectly, to its development and refinement.
The 48th International Systemic Functional Congress aims to bring together researchers and academics to discuss and reflect on the concepts of language, power and empowerment and their relation to SFL theory. The Congress seeks to explore how SFL has empowered and been empowered by various fields of study and welcomes contributions in the form of paper presentations, colloquia, workshops and posters pertaining, but not restricted, to the following themes:
SFL, the power of language, and the language of power
SFL as an empowering theory of language
Research and professional fields that have empowered SFL
SFL and L2 Teaching and Learning
SFL and EAP/ESP
SFL and (digital) Communication (medical, business, political, etc.)
SFL, Translation and Multilingual Studies
SFL, Computational Linguistics, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
SFL and Corpus Linguistics
SFL and Genre theories/ analysis
SFL and Cognitive Linguistics
SFL and Pragmatics
SFL and (Critical) Discourse Analysis
SFL and Multimodality
SFL, Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity
SFL and Ecolinguistics
SFL and Literary Studies
SFL and Culture and Media Studies
SFL and Embodied / Visual-spatial Communication
