Welcome to the Second International Conference on Humanities (INCoH) 2017 website. This conference is organised by the School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia and will be held at Parkroyal Penang Resort, Batu Feringghi, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, from 16 – 17 August 2017.  The main theme of the conference is The Role(s) and Relevance of Humanities for Sustainable Development.  
In particular, INCoH 2017 aims to:

• share current findings and practices in the Humanities that address issues related to sustainable development
• establish collaborative network in the different disciplines of Humanities (namely Literature, Language and Linguistics, Translation and Interpreting, Philosophy, Civilisation and Religious Studies,  History and Geography)

We therefore invite papers for the discussion of the main theme from the following areas:

• Literary Studies
• Language and Linguistics
• Translation and Interpreting
• Philosophy, Civilisation and Religious Studies
• History and Society
• Geography, Urbanisation and Sustainability

Who Should Attend
Participation for this conference is open to all academic staff, students, independent researchers, policy makers and members of the public who are interested in the fields of Humanities studies and sustainable development goals.

Introduction

The multifaceted areas of studies in the Humanities, such as Literature, Language and Linguistics, Translation and Interpreting, Philosophy, Civilisation and Religious Studies, History and Geography, exude not only vigour but also intensity in many intrinsic and imperative functions irrespective of people and nations. Such dynamics thus confirm the roles and relevance of Humanities studies in contributing towards concerted efforts and pursuits for the betterment of humankind. The United Nations declaration of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 identifies actions in seventeen areas for humanity and the planet. Several of these aspiring targets underline the need to ensure wide-ranging and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The declaration includes the significance of achieving gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls. To build resilient infrastructure and to promote comprehensive and sustainable industrialisation require the Humanities to (re)evaluate its position in relation to sustainable development. The calls to foster innovation and to reduce inequalities in nations around the world also reiterate the tasks and core values as practised in the Humanities. More significantly, the declaration also implies the necessity for peaceful and inclusive societies in providing access to justice and building effective and accountable institutions at all levels. The subsequent requisites thus are indicative of the means of implementing and revitalising global partnerships for sustainable development across intranational and/or international borders and senses. This conference is hoped to create a platform for academic discourse, information dissemination and networking amongst academics, practitioners, and those who have similar interests to present their research findings on the subject matter related to the roles and relevance of Humanities in supporting sustainable development nationally, regionally and globally.