International Gender and Language Association Student Travel

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The project provides travel grants for 15 graduate students to present their research and gain professional experience at the seventh biennial conference of the International Gender and Language Association (IGALA), held in São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, June 20-22, 2012. The selection of grant recipients is based on an application process reviewed by members of the IGALA Executive Committee, Advisory Board, and Conference Committee. IGALA is the major professional organization for scholars of language and gender, a dynamic interdisciplinary field that uses the methods of social science to address fundamental questions regarding the role of language in issues of gender. IGALA's biennial conference is the primary scholarly venue for this field, and participation in the conference is therefore an important professional experience for graduate students conducting research in the area. The 2012 conference is the first time that IGALA will meet in South America, and it therefore presents a rare opportunity for U.S. scholars to exchange ideas and forge collaborations with their South American colleagues. The conference program's inclusion of two special forums on gender and public policy in Brazil provides timely and relevant information about this key globalizing nation, which can help U.S. researchers expand the international reach and utility of their work. In addition, the conference's emphasis on emergent themes in language and gender research will generate important new ideas that will shape the field in coming years.Given the high cost of travel between the United States and southern Brazil, the travel grants will enable graduate students to attend the conference who would otherwise be unable to participate, particularly those who are members of underrepresented groups. In addition, the conference includes numerous opportunities for graduate student participation, training and mentoring, and professional development, such as workshops, roundtable discussions, and networking activities.