Ghent CLADES Conference 2026
Critical Language Awareness for Sustainability, Solidarity and Inclusion
Language is a tool that everyone should have the right and knowledge to use in building a better and more sustainable world. It holds immense power in shaping how we perceive and respond to global challenges. Language constructs and reflects societal norms and frames critical issues such as climate action, gender equality, and promoting peace and access to justice for all.
We are delighted to announce the upcoming conference on “Critical Language Awareness for Sustainability, Solidarity and Inclusion”, set to take place on 25-26 February 2026 at Ghent University, Belgium. This two-day event is organised as part of the CLADES Erasmus+ project (Critical Language Awareness, Democratic Engagement and Sustainability). The project aims to equip students, educators, and scholars with the tools needed to critically analyse and engage with language to shape sustainable futures. Its primary goal is to enhance participants’ critical language awareness, empowering them to amplify their voices and recognise their potential for driving positive societal change.
This interdisciplinary, critical, and student- and teacher-oriented conference invites participants to explore how language and discourse sustain or challenge unsustainable economies, social injustice, and exclusion. By focusing on language attitudes, linguistic practices, language policies and discourses in various settings, the conference will show how language and discourse shape our imaginaries of growth, nature, democracy, and justice. The aim is to deepen and share our insights into these dynamics and examine the transformative potential of language and discourse in shaping more just and sustainable futures.
How can we increase the societal impact of language and raise critical language awareness in our communities? How can we promote individual voices and make use of ethical communication to foster positive societal change?
