26th Summer School of Applied Sciences – Mediating Multilingualism: Meanings and Modalities

Mediating Multilingualism: Meanings and Modalities, University of Jyvaskylä, June 2-5, 2008

The conference on Mediating Multilingualism approached mediation and multilingualism from a double perspective: in its focus are the different ways and means for mediating multilingualism, as well as multilingualism as a mediational system. The aim was to shed light on the complexities of this relationship and to develop new ways of investigating and understanding the roles, meanings and modalities of mediation in multilingual settings. To this end, the conference aimed at bringing together researchers, students, teachers and other practitioners who share an interest in exploring the interface between mediation and multilingualism as a particular linguistic, social, cultural and ideological contact zone where the meanings of languages, identities and relationships are reassessed and renegotiated. The conference was organized at the University of Jyväskylä as the 26th Summer School of Applied Language Studies. It consisted of invited keynote lectures, workshops and paper sessions.