University of Helsinki
Bloomsbury Applied Linguistics Seminar at Birkbeck
Post-intercultural perspectives on acculturation: Beyond (facade) pygmalionism?
SPEAKER: Fred Dervin (University of Helsinki)
Time: 6 March, 2014, 12:00-13:00pm
Venue: Room B30 Main Building, Birkbeck College, Torrington Square, London, WC1B
Abstract
This talk deals with the notion of the ‘post-intercultural’ (Dervin, 2012), especially in relation to the old and tired concept of acculturation. The post-intercultural represents an attempt to move away from solid, empty and highly unethical approaches to self and other and their interactions that tend to pollute fields of research related to mobility and migration. Using three different kinds of data I will show how post-intercultural perspectives can help researchers to avoid (facade) pygmalionism.
About the speaker
Dr Fred Dervin is Professor of Intercultural Education at the University of Helsinki (Finland). He also holds three positions of Adjunct Professor in Finland: sociology (speciality: multiculturalism, University of Eastern Finland), intercultural communication and education (University of Turku) and applied linguistics (University of Helsinki) and an associate professorship in religious studies (Université du Québec, Canada). His research interests include intercultural competences in academic mobility, language learning and teaching; the use of lingua francas and their impact on identification; anthropology and intercultural education; research methods for working on identity. He has published extensively on these topics.