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Languages, Cultures & Ideologies research unit

LCI logo

Co-ordinators: Prof Gerrit-Jan Berendse & Dr Ryan Prout

Launched in 2011, the Languages, Cultures & Ideologies (LCI) research unit collectively coordinates and promotes the development and presentation of members’ research in French, German, Italian, Hispanic Studies, translation studies and ideology critique.

Members of the LCI group share research interests in the rich and fertile intersections of literature, culture, and national identity. Our research engages with metropolitan narratives and histories, as well as the regional and global reach of languages and cultures, such as French and Spanish, and adopts transnational perspectives that investigate the legacies of colonialism and decolonisation within and beyond the boundaries of the state.

Members of the group are internationally recognised specialists in translation studies and ideology critique, extending the scope of investigation to examine how cross-disciplinary theoretical models work to enhance our understanding of contemporary cultural and ideological identities

Within the group’s range of research activities, there are strong interdisciplinary focal areas: visual cultures, cultural memory, gender and LGBT studies, peripheral identities, film studies, and Žižek studies. The unit’s activities create a vibrant dialogue between staff and PG students.

LCI builds on the cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural foundations of the Histories Memories and Fictions of Europe Research Unit (1996-2011) and is active in the dissemination of research carried out by staff and research students alike. The unit’s members organise a full programme of conferences, public lectures, seminar series, screenings, exhibitions, workshops, and symposia.

Group members

Visiting Research Fellows

Research centres and networks

Research activities are disseminated by networks and centres founded and maintained by members of LCI:

Publications

New Readings

Masters Schemes

LCI staff are engaged in PhD supervision and co-ordinate or teach on the MA in Translation Studies, and the MA in European Studies. LCI members contribute fully to the MA in Translation Studies across their language disciplines and, uniquely in the UK, the Cardiff MA translation programme is also designed to offer training in translation that is normally applicable to any pairing of source and target languages. The degree is aimed at students seeking a career as a translator and also prepares students for careers in other language related professions, including journalism, public relations or language teaching. LCI members supervise the dissertations and annotated translation projects completed by translation studies MA students.

LCI members also contribute teaching and supervision to the MA in European Studies and facilitate modules which allow students to look in depth at literary, cinematic, and philosophical texts which question what it means to be European now and what it has meant in the past. LCI members’ expertise allows students to complete dissertations with the benefit of close supervision on text and film-based projects as well as others which examine European cultural politics and translation.

PhD Supervision

The LCI research unit has 10 PhD students and one MPhil student in 2011-12: three have won school awards in the form of fees and stipendiary bursaries, two are holders of AHRC BGP awards, and one receives support from the James Pantyfedwen Foundation. The unit invites postgraduate students to present papers in its forum for research in progress. LCI postgraduate students are also active in contributing to and organising the programme for the Voices of the Humanities and the Accademia degli incogniti seminar series (supported by funding from the UGCP).

Translation studies research students present their work in conferences at Cardiff, such as the Translating (at) the Border event, and Sounds of Europe, a celebration of translation and poetry, now in its fifth year. LCI PhD students are also active in networks such as the Association for the Study of Modern and Contemporary France, the Society for French Studies, Women in Spanish and Portuguese Studies, the Anglo-Catalan Society, and the LGBT Centre of Excellence for Wales. The LCI events programme equips research students with essential experience and training in communication and presentation skills. Supervision by LCI staff and access to research skills courses run by UGCP (University Graduate College Programme for Postgraduate Researchers) provide the subject-specific abilities which add up to a friendly, supportive, and stimulating research environment.

Events 2012

Conferences, Workshops, and Public Lectures

New Directions in Modern Languages lecture series

Research in progress seminars

This a regular series of presentations by staff and research postgraduate students [PGR] from the School to share their research with peers and colleagues in an informal setting which promotes constructive criticism and feedback.

Future events

Events archive

The LCI programme of current and forthcoming events builds on the diverse range of activities, including lectures, seminars, conferences, symposia, and workshops organised through Histories, Memories and Fictions of Europe between 2008 and 2011.

View the events archive.