World Congress of African Linguistics – WOCAL 12

The Departments of African Studies and Linguistics at the University of Vienna are pleased to announce the call for papers for the 12th edition of the World Congress of African Linguistics (WOCAL 12). This four-day conference, expected to attract a wide range of scholars, researchers, and students from around the world, will take place from Wednesday, July 7 to Saturday, July 10, 2027. 

WOCAL 12 will be held under the theme: “African Languages in a Changing World: Sustainability, Technology, and Biodiversity.”

We warmly invite researchers, academics, and students, particularly those working in African Studies, African languages, and African literatures, to participate in this global scholarly gathering.

The WOCAL 12 conference is hosted by the University of Vienna. 

Brief background and aims 

Often described as the only truly international and pan-African descriptive and theoretical conference in African linguistics, the World Congress of African Linguistics (WOCAL) was first convened in 1994 in what is now Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Since then, it has been held every three years, bringing together scholars from across Africa and beyond.

WOCAL provides a dynamic platform for scholars of African linguistics and African studies to meet, discuss, and exchange ideas. It stimulates research on African languages—both spoken and signed with the overarching goal of disseminating linguistic findings on African languages globally. Furthermore, WOCAL seeks to raise awareness of the importance of African languages in fostering individual, social, cultural, political, and economic development. It also strives to empower African languages to meet the needs of their speakers while responding to the challenges and opportunities of a globalized world.

In terms of scope, WOCAL embraces all major fields and subfields of linguistics as applied to African languages. The congress places particular emphasis on the developmental dimensions of African languages, exploring their roles in education, governance and politics, multilingualism, technology, social inclusion, and related areas.

The upcoming 2027 Congress, to be co-hosted by the Department of African Studies and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Vienna, aims to further expand this scope. In addition to the traditional linguistic fields, WOCAL 2027 will incorporate emerging areas such as language, biodiversity and climate, and African languages in the technological and digital age. These innovative inclusions, we believe reflect a deliberate effort to showcase the breadth, relevance, and growing significance of WOCAL, ensuring that participants from diverse disciplines and backgrounds can engage meaningfully in shaping the future of African linguistics.