The 2nd International Sociolinguistic Research Symposium (TARA 2024) was held on 21-23 November 2024 at the 15 July Culture and Congress Center, in collaboration with the Dicle University School of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Education (Ziya Gökalp), and Faculty of Letters (Sezai Karakoç). Addressing the social dynamics of language and its role in social interaction from an interdisciplinary perspective, the symposium brought together researchers and academics from linguistics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, communication, literature, and other related disciplines in Diyarbakır.
The opening ceremony was attended by our Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Karakoç, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Tanyıldız, deans, academics, and students. In his opening speech on behalf of the Symposium Organizing Committee, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Osman Solmaz emphasized that the symposium aimed to promote the sharing of current research, foster new collaborations, and enrich academic discussions in the field of sociolinguistics at an international level. This year’s keynote speaker was Prof. Dr. Jonathan Culpeper (Lancaster University, UK), the founder of (Im)Politeness Theory and a renowned name in the field of pragmatics. In addition, presentations by Prof. Dr. Cihad Demirli on improving the quality of foreign language teaching in Türkiye and Prof. Dr. Bülent Gül on the sociolinguistic elements in the Tonyukuk Inscription were among the symposium's significant sessions.
The symposium program included more than 40 different presentations and several panels held over two days. Participants shared their latest research on topics such as language variation and change, language attitudes and ideologies, language and identity, language socialization, bilingualism and multilingualism, digital language and society, language and media, conversation analysis, language and gender, language policy and planning, linguistic landscape studies, language acquisition, language and culture, and many more. The program booklet showcased the interdisciplinary richness and current debates within the field through contributions from academics from different universities and countries.
TARA 2024 provided participants with an international platform to present their work, while also facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations and the development of new networks. As stated in the general call for papers, the aim was not only to share existing knowledge but also to develop new perspectives in sociolinguistics and encourage progress in this field.
As a complementary part of the symposium, the Sociolinguistic Research Network was introduced, continuing to serve as a dynamic platform that brings together researchers, academics, and students to share current research and support collaborations.
TARA 2024 has been recorded as an important academic and social event reflecting our university’s interdisciplinary scientific approach and international collaboration vision.
📌 Below, you can find photos from the symposium, the program booklet, the Book of Abstracts, and the posters.