Japanese Linguistics and Japanese Language Education Symposium: Call for Abstracts
Friday 20 – Saturday 21 November 2026
Date: 20–21 November 2026
Location: Hybrid (In-person at Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Wallumattagal Campus, Sydney & Online)
Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday, 12 October 2026
Marking the 50th Anniversary of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan, a symposium on the theme of "Building Japanese Language Capacity: Linguistic Insight for the Next 50 Years" will be hosted by Macquarie University's School of International Studies, generously supported by the Macquarie Japanese Studies Centre for Teaching Development (MJS Centre).
This symposium explores how theoretical, empirical, and sociopragmatic research in Japanese linguistics directly addresses key challenges and opportunities in language capacity and pedagogy in Australia. Bringing together theoretical linguists, discourse analysts, sociolinguists, educators, and students, the event aims to establish a forward-looking agenda for Japanese language studies over the next half-century, reflecting on past achievements, addressing emerging challenges, and defining pathways for the future.
Confirmed Keynote Speakers:
Prof. Shinobu Imai (Osaka University)
Dr. Satoshi Nambu (Monash University)
Call for Abstracts:
Submissions are invited for 20-minute individual presentations (delivered in-person or online, followed by a 10-minute Q&A) across three thematic strands:
Strand 1: Empirical & Corpus Insights (Corpus linguistics, syntax, semantics, historical grammar, phonology, and empirical studies of language variation)
Strand 2: Sociopragmatics & Media Literacy (Interactional pragmatics, multimodal discourse, media representation, language ideologies, and sociolinguistic identity construction)
Strand 3: Educational Applications & Capacity Building (Pedagogical frameworks, literacy acquisition, secondary-to-tertiary articulation pathways, tertiary to post-graduate pathways, immersion programs, and language policy)
Graduate Research & ECR Bursaries
To support emerging scholars, the MJS Centre is providing travel bursaries of up to $700 for Graduate Research students (MRes and PhD) and Early Career Researchers (within 5 years of PhD conferral).
Bursary applications are integrated directly into the abstract submission process. Applicants must include:
Proof of Eligibility: Principal supervisor's name (for GR students) or PhD conferral date (for ECRs).
Statement of Need & Benefit (150 words): A brief explanation outlining why financial assistance is required and how presenting will advance your research.
Itemised Travel Budget Estimate: Anticipated breakdown of airfare, accommodation, and local travel.
Bursaries will be competitively awarded based on peer-reviewed abstract scores, financial need, and travel distance, with notifications issued alongside abstract acceptances.
Key Dates:
Call for abstracts starts: Monday, 7 September 2026
Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday, 12 October 2026
Notification of Acceptance & Bursary Awards: Monday, 26 October 2026
Registration Deadline: Monday, 16 November 2026
Abstract Submission Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/e19CfM5fKb
Contact: Dr Chavalin Svetanant (Director, MJS Centre) at chavalin.svetanant@mq.edu.au