We invite you to submit a 500 to 600 word abstract for a possible chapter in this proposed book. The abstract should address the objective: to what extent are (inter-)cultural dimensions included in the teaching and/or use of a lingua franca? On the other hand, is it possible to teach and/or use a lingua franca as if it were culturally neutral, or with no cultural connotations (e.g., ideological, political, religious, cultural, historical, etc)? Equally important, the question of how culture and the ‘intercultural’ are defined and understood in lingua franca use might also be raised. Intercultural communication has always been made possible by lingua francas. As such any language can potentially be used as a lingua franca today: for example, Arabic, Chinese, Esperanto, French, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, and not only English. Abstracts might, but need not necessarily, draw on empirical research from various intercultural contexts (e.g., intimacy, business, diplomacy, etc.) and education (university, secondary, and primary levels; adult education, etc.). Abstracts may address conceptual analyses, empirical research, curriculum development, etc. The following themes may be of interest, but you should also feel free to propose your own focus, so long as it fits the main objective:
• Lingua franca(s), the ‘intercultural’ and globalisation
• Language policy and lingua franca(s)
• The affordances, limits, complexities, and challenges offered by lingua franca(s)
• The relationship between lingua franca(s) and national, regional, and local languages
• Lingua franca(s) and cultural/language identity/ies
• Perceptions of lingua francas and the ‘intercultural’
• Questions of policy; assessment; pedagogy; curriculum design; teaching training; learner empowerment
• The cultural/intercultural dimension of classroom language as a lingua franca
• Lingua franca(s) and Intercultural (communicative) competences (or intercultural education)
• Language learners’ experiences of lingua franca(s)
• A critical analysis of a lingua franca in a specific context, or across a range of contexts, including syllabus and curriculum choices
• Etc.

Abstracts should be sent in .doc or .rtf format (no .pdf please) to Prue Holmes (p.m.holmes@durham.ac.uk), Fred Dervin (freder@utu.fi), and Susanne Ehrenreich (susanne.ehrenreich@tu-dortmund.de). All abstracts will be reviewed by at least three reviewers. They will then be selected by the editorial team based on how appropriately they address the objective of the book and authors will then be invited to develop their chapter. We expect there will be about 8 chapters.

There is also a special issue of the Language Learning Journal on the topic of culture in language learning (edited by Mike Byram and Prue Holmes), so some authors may be encouraged to submit their work to that journal, where more appropriate.

Working Title: The cultural and intercultural dimensions of lingua francas
Editors: Prue Holmes, Fred Dervin, & Susanne Ehrenreich
Editorial Advisor: Michael Byram
Possible publisher: Peter Lang, Intercultural Education and Foreign Language Learning Series, Series Editors Dr Arnd Witte and Professor Theo Harden
Main objective: To investigate the (inter-)cultural dimensions in the teaching/use of lingua francas.
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 15 September 2011.
Notification of acceptance: 30 September 2011.
Full chapters: 15 January 2012