Transnational/Multilingual Responses to the Pandemic, April 22 & 27, 2021

The Institute of Modern Languages Research
School of Advanced Study • University of London

The Institute of Modern Languages Research has convened two events as part of the School of Advanced Study’s “Open for Discussion” series. Both events draw on the policy recommendations developed as part of the past four years’ research in the context of the AHRC’s Open World Research Initiative (OWRI).

Covid-19, International Perspectives and Transnational Collaboration

22 April 2021
18:00-19:30 BST / 13:00-14:30 EST

https://modernlanguages.sas.ac.uk/events/event/23366

During a “global” pandemic, the capacity to learn from the experience of others and share knowledge across borders is essential. Responses to Covid-19 have varied markedly across the globe. The differences in the approaches taken are due to systemic political and economic conditions, but also to cultural and historical factors. One lesson that has emerged clearly is that only a joint transnational effort will enable us to respond efficiently and decisively to the threat of an illness that knows no borders. In this panel discussion, Humanities scholars of languages and cultures will reflect on the handling of the pandemic in their cultural/geographic area of expertise – and suggest lessons to be learned from other nations. They will then go on to explore the place of creative and cultural production in building a more transnationally interlinked post-Covid world – as well as the contributions to be made by research in the Humanities, and specifically Modern Languages.

Discussants:

Charles Burdett / Godela Weiss-Sussex (IMLR), Chairs
Astrid Erll (Frankfurt)
Charles Forsdick (Liverpool)
Ignacio Peyró (Director Instituto Cervantes London and UK Coordinator. Author)
Alejandro Arenas-Pinto (UCL)
Nelson Mlambo (University of Namibia)
Leon Rocha (Lincoln)

Respondent: Steven Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast)

All are welcome to attend this free event, starting at 6pm BST. The joining link for the online event will be sent out to all those registered prior to the event: https://modernlanguages.sas.ac.uk/events/event/23366

Languages and the Pandemic: Public Health Engagement with Multilingual Communities in the UK

27 April 2021
18:00-19:30 BST / 13:00-14:30 EST

https://modernlanguages.sas.ac.uk/events/event/23365

During a “global” pandemic, the capacity to learn from the experience of others and share knowledge across borders is essential, as is the need to recognize that linguistic and cultural marginalization in the UK risks further alienating communities at a time of public health emergency. Covid-19 has at once revealed and exacerbated pre-existing inequalities across the UK. The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Black, Asian and minority ethnic people has been documented in reports by the director of Public Health London, Professor Kevin Fenton. In one of these reports, he identifies the need for culturally appropriate and cross-language communications for minoritized communities in the UK.

Drawing on the expertise of those working with multilingual communities in the UK, this discussion probes to what extent national and local communications and responses to COVID-19 can more effectively address the complex needs of multilingual communities in the UK, resulting in more inclusive, socially egalitarian and effective public health engagement.

Discussants:

Joe Ford / Naomi Wells (IMLR), Chairs
Li Wei (UCL)
Emma Whitby (Chief Executive of Healthwatch Islington)
Yaron Matras (Manchester)
Claudia Lopez-Prieto (Citizens UK)
Carolina Camelo (Coalition of Latin Americans in the UK)
Soledad Montanez (Manchester / IMLR)

WesAndTheWorld

Transnational/Multilingual Responses to the Pandemic, April 22 & 27, 2021

March 29, 2021

Covid-19, International Perspectives and Transnational Collaboration

Languages and the Pandemic: Public Health Engagement with Multilingual Communities in the UK