A preliminary workshop schedule is now available here!
The Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is hosting "Climate, Language and Indigenous Perspectives (CLIP)," an informal workshop on how linguistic knowledge can form a link between scientific inquiry and indigenous perspectives of climate. The workshop will be held at UAF on 13-15 August 2008. Participants will include linguists, natural scientists, and cultural anthropologists, as well as speakers of indigenous languages.
The workshop focuses on how knowledge of the language (both speaking expertise and knowledge of linguistic structure) can inform natural science. Discussion will be facilitated by paper presentations and discussion groups focused on:
Topic 1 - Comparing vocabularies: How does knowledge of indigenous classifications (e.g., land/landforms, ice, water) inform scientific research? This session may be broken up into several subtopics depending on the number of suggestions received.
Topic 2 - What can we learn from Oral Histories?
Topic 3 - Naming systems: Place names and month/season names. Is climate change reflected in such names?
In cooperation with the Alaskan Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP), we are also hosting an Elders' Panel. In this panel, Elders from around the state will share their observations of climate change and will talk to (both social and natural) scientists about possible research avenues.