CFP: Algorithmic Narratives: Language, Literature, and Cultural Heritage in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

CALL FOR PAPERS

As the digital frontier expands, Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally reshaping how human beings communicate, create, and preserve knowledge. For scholars of the humanities, this technological revolution presents both unprecedented opportunities and profound challenges. The 2026 CELLA Annual Conference seeks to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence with linguistic structures, literary expression, and cultural heritage, particularly within the context of Anglophone Cameroon and the broader African continent.

How do generative algorithms impact traditional African storytelling and orature? What happens to the nuances of Cameroonian English when filtered through global linguistic models? Can AI be harnessed to decolonize digital spaces and preserve authentic cultural heritage, or does it threaten to homogenize diverse literary voices?

We invite scholars, educators, graduate students, and researchers to submit papers that investigate how language, literature, and culture adapt to, resist, or collaborate with artificial intelligence.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Professor Evangeline Agwa F. Seino

The University of Bamenda, Cameroon

SUB-THEMES

We welcome proposals across three primary tracks. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Language and Linguistics in the Digital Age

• Language rights and linguistic justice in AI design and deployment

• The stylistic and pragmatic analysis of AI-generated communication.

• Algorithmic bias and the representation of Cameroonian English and indigenous languages in global AI models.

• AI in the ESL/EFL classroom: Inclusive teaching practices, pedagogy, and the future of language acquisition.

• Semiotics and the evolution of digital communication codes.

2. Literature and "The Sentient Word"

• AI as author, collaborator, or disruptor in contemporary African literature.

• Representations of technology, algorithms, and digital futures in Cameroonian fiction, drama, and poetry.

• Feminist and queer readings of algorithmic narratives and AI-mediated literary production.

• The impact of generative AI on literary criticism, analysis, and student writing.

• Postcolonial perspectives on digital and algorithmic narratives.

3. Cultural Heritage and Digital Preservation

• Digitizing orature: From the village square to the algorithm.

• The ethics of AI in archiving and representing African cultural heritage.

• Protecting authentic creative voices and combating cultural homogenization.

• Decoding eco-cultural narratives through digital and technological lenses.

• Community-based and participatory digital archiving of African cultural heritage.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Abstracts: Please submit an abstract of 250–300 words, including a clear title, 4–5 keywords, and the theoretical/methodological framework as well as institutional affiliation and contact.

• Submission Email: Send abstracts to info@cellacameroon.org

• Formatting Requirements: Contributors may use APA or MLA

• Presentation Format: In-person and Online presentations are welcomed

PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITY:

Selected papers will be published in an open access peer‑reviewed edited volume.

IMPORTANT DATES

Abstract Submission Deadline: September 15, 2026

Notification of Acceptance: On a rolling basis

Full Paper Submission: October 15, 2026

Conference Dates: November 12–13, 2026

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

· Keynote Address

· Poster Presentations, Plenary Sessions and Parallel Presentations

· Formal Dinner and Closing

CONFERENCE FEE

· Research scholars: 30.000 FCFA Research Students: 20.000 FCFA

· International Research Scholars: $150.00 International Students: $100.00

Conference fee covers registration kit, refreshments, dinner, and publication costs

CONTACTS:

Inquiries: Prof. Eunice Fombele (237 677123000) and Prof. Louisa Lum (237 67194455)

Registration Fee: Dr. Judith Ngantu – 237 670700453

Accommodation: Dr. Nkanu Mazou – 237 675070909