Introduction

1In Argentina there is a sustained activity related to semiotics since the sixties, when Luis J. Prieto was pioneering semiotic studies at the University of Cordoba, before going into exile in Europe, where he took on the chair of Linguistics that once belonged to Saussure in Geneva. There were some other scholars already carrying out activities in semiotic fields at that time; among them, César Jannello, who inaugurated in 1969 the first chair of Semiotics of Architecture at the University of Buenos Aires.

2The Argentine Association for Semiotic Studies (AAS) started in 1970 with the organization of semiotic congresses. Some of the scholars that have been present from the beginnings of the AAS were Eliseo Verón, Armando Sercovich, Juan Carlos Indart, Oscar Steimberg, Oscar Traversa, Oscar Massota, Alicia Páez, and María Rosa Ravera. The activities have continued with some regularity until today, and are well driven towards the future. Just to mention, the 8^th congress was held in 2010, and the 9^th one will be held in Mendoza city in September 2013. Since the seventies until his death in 2010, Juan A. Magariños de Morentin exerted also a great influence on various generations of Argentine semioticians.

3At present, according to a survey made by Ana Camblong at the AAS, there are more than two hundred research projects oriented to semiotics, based mainly at the National Universities of Buenos Aires, La Plata, Cordoba, Misiones, Rosario, San Juan, Salta, Jujuy, Litoral, Cuyo, and the National Universitary Institute of the Arts. Semiotic courses are taught in some of these universities at the introductory level, as well as at the graduate and postgraduate levels.

4Some sources of information about history and present state of semiotics in Argentina are:

5Magariños de Morentin, Juan Angel. 1987. “Semiotics in Argentina”. In The Semiotic Web ’86, eds. T. Sebeok and J. Umiker-Sebeok. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 123-142.

6Guerri, Claudio F. 1988. “Architectural design, and space semiotics in Argentina”. In The Semiotic Web 1987, eds. T. Sebeok and J. Umiker-Sebeok. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 389-419.

7Ravera, Rosa María. 2000. “En torno a la semiótica en Argentina”. Signa, revista de la Asociación Española de Semiótica 9, 19-69.

8Asociación Argentina de Semiótica. 2009. Actas del VII Congreso. Rosario: UN Rosario.
In http://www.aasemiotica.com.ar/​category/​congresos/​

9Camblong, Ana, dir. (AAS). 2010. “Investigaciones semióticas. Base de datos”.
In http://www.aasemiotica.com.ar/​articulo.php?id_categoria=5

10Asociación Argentina de Semiótica. 2011. Actas del VIII Congreso. Posadas: UN Misiones.
In http://www.aasemiotica.com.ar/​category/​congresos/​

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11Below, there is a non-exhaustive overview of various aspects of the semiotic activities in Argentina during 2012.

The AISV-IAVS conference in Argentina, 2012

12The 10^th Conference of the International Association for Visual Semiotics (AISV-IAVS) was held from September 4 to 8, 2012, at the Faculty of Law of Buenos Aires University, Argentina, on the theme “Contemporary dilemmas of visuality”.

13The dilemmatic visual situations approached to in the conference are not limited to moral or cultural questions; it was shown that they also appear in the more primary context of visual perception (for instance, with visual ambiguities, paradoxes and antinomies). The high number and variety of works presented, allowed us to see that the visual contemporary dilemmas concern both ethics and aesthetics, politics, human and social sciences in general, as well as natural sciences, in an interdisciplinary and integrating view. In this vast territory, the conference posed the semiotic reflection on the dilemmas of visuality, by the way of questioning, thinking and criticizing.

14The program featured invited lectures about dilemmas in the advertising image, the representation of space, visual perception, pictorial representation, the life-world, art and memory, visual writing, photography, visual arts and film, non-verbal texts, media and journalism, among other topics, delivered by Arthur Berger, Paolo Fabbri, Claudio Guerri, Jean-Marie Klinkenberg, Winfried Nöth, Göran Sonesson, Eliseo Verón, Leonor Arfuch, Alfredo Cid, José Finol, María Ledesma, Rocco Mangieri, Isabel Marcos, Tiziana Migliore, Ana Claudia de Oliveira, Eduardo Peñuela, Isabella Pezzini, Rosa Ravera, Georges Roque, Oscar Steimberg, and Oscar Traversa.

15Numbers of the conference: By the deadline of abstracts submission, 563 proposals had been received. After the evaluation by the scientific committee they resulted in 440 abstracts accepted in the first round, while 330 abstracts of registered authors were finally included in the program and 313 were effectively presented at the conference. Their distribution was as follows: 174 papers in the oral sessions, some arranged as round-tables or working groups, 86 printed posters, 32 digital posters, and 21 invited lectures (14 lectures in parallel sessions and 7 plenary lectures). The number of registered participants was 396, and they represented 28 countries: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

16The organizing committee was composed of researchers and faculty members working at the University of Buenos Aires, National Universitary Institute of the Arts (IUNA), National Council for Research (Conicet), University of Belgrano, Argentine University of Management (UADE), National University of Mar del Plata, and the Argentine Color Group. The scientific committee was composed of sixteen international specialists, half of which were Argentine scholars: José Luis Caivano, Verónica Devalle, Claudio Guerri, María Ledesma, Paula Siganevich, Marita Soto, Oscar Steimberg, and Horacio Wainhaus.

17To have a look at the authors, titles and abstracts of the papers, it is possible to visit https://aisviavs.wordpress.com/​congresses-2/​aisv-iavs-2012/​ and download the program and the book of abstracts. The proceedings of the conference, with the full papers, will be published during 2013.

18In the context of the AISV congress, various renowned semioticians offered interviews and notes, for instance, Paolo Fabbri, “Los semiólogos somos como cazadores furtivos” [“Semioticians are like furtive hunters”], interview and Spanish transl. by Consuelo Moisset. In http://informachica.wordpress.com/​2013/​02/​03/​paolo-fabbri/​

Some books related to semiotics published in 2012 in Argentina

19Lenguaje gráfico TDE: Más allá de la perspectiva, [TSD graphic languages: Beyond perspective], in Spanish, Claudio Guerri, 2012, Eudeba, Buenos Aires, ISBN 978-95-023-2048-9

20This is the result of a research process in the field of design and architecture semiotics, which started in the early seventies and has grown until today, incorporating the most contemporary developments. The method proposed in the book leads to the establishment of series where the jumps in time and space generate unexpected stylistic vicinities. It is a work about the canon and how to build it, which highlights the arbitrary nature of any canon of beauty, unravels the institutional fallacies on which the canon is based, and proposes an objective way for establishing such historical appraisals.

21Info: www.eudeba.com.ar/libro/lenguaje-grafico-tde

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22La prensa online y su público. Un estudio de los espacios de intervención y participación del lector en Clarín y La Nación, [Online media and their public. A study about the spaces of intervention and participation of the reader in Clarín and La Nación newspapers], in Spanish, Natalia Anselmino, 2012, Teseo, Buenos Aires. ISBN 978-98-718-6750-9

23The research behind this book is the result of the concern about the concepts, theories and certainties that have been at the basis of media studies for years. Notions such as audience, mass media and reader have lost accuracy, their limits are blurred, and we have to test, tension and redefine them. This book goes into the present life’s problems, traversed by the accelerated and continuous technological change, nurtured by and coexisting with media strategies that intend to transform traditional press into 2.0 media.

24Info: http://editorialteseo.com/​archivos/​7358

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25Estudios semióticos: Charles Sanders Peirce [Semiotic studies: Charles Sanders Peirce], in Spanish, Daniel Gastaldello, 2012, Ediciones Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, ISBN 978-98-765-7791-5

26This text covers the main tenets of the theory of Charles S. Peirce on the sciences, the scientific project of Pragmatism, and the logical-semantic system of semiotics, with its impact on the present developments in the field.

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27La captura de la audiencia radiofónica, [Capturing the radio audience], in Spanish

28José Luis Fernández, 2012, Liber Editores, Buenos Aires, ISBN 978-98-725-4835-3

29The author is one of the scholars who are giving greater impulse to the semiotics of radio. The book maintains a fruitful dialogue with the classic and present semiotic theories, as well as with the concrete field of radio.

30Info: http://liberdistribuciones.com.ar/​ver_mas.php?id=219

Argentine Association for Semiotic Studies (AAS)

31The current president of the AAS is Ana Camblong (National University of Misiones), and the vice-president is Oscar Steimberg (University of Buenos Aires and National Universitary Institute of the Arts, IUNA).

32The Argentine Association of Semiotic Studies has set up its website at www.aasemiotica.com.ar. The site contains information about the recent activities, and an important database on the cartography of semiotic research groups in Argentina. From here it is also possible to download the proceedings of the two last Argentine congresses on semiotics, held in Rosario during 2007, and in Posadas in 2010.

Meeting on anthropo-semiotics of death

33This is the second meeting organized on this topic, which was centered on the transdisciplinary dialogisms of death and dying. It happened during October 18 and 19, 2012, in Posadas, Misiones, Argentina.

Doctoral dissertation upheld in 2012

34Mabel Amanda López: “Verbal text and image: Languages of graphic design”. Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, University of Buenos Aires.

Regular courses on semiotics in universities, undergraduate level, 2012

35■ At the University of Buenos Aires (UBA):

36Semiology, Common Basic Cycle, UBA
chair Alfredo Rubione, http://www.cbc.uba.ar
chair Elvira Arnoux, http://www.escrituraylectura.com.ar/​semiologia/​
chair Daniel Romero, http://www.cbc.uba.ar
chair Roberto Marafioti, http://www.cbc.uba.ar

37Semiotics I, Faculty of Social Sciences, UBA
chair José Luis Fernández, http://semioticafernandez.com.ar/​
chair Mabel Tassara

38Semiotics of Media II, Faculty of Social Sciences, UBA
chair María Rosa Del Coto, http://www.catedras.fsoc.uba.ar/​delcoto/​
chair Graciela Varela, http://semioticadelosmedios2.sociales.uba.ar/​

39Elements of Linguistics and Semiotics, Dept. of Anthropological Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, UBA, chair Carlos Reynoso

40Semiotics and Aesthetics, Dept. of Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, UBA, chair Romero-Giménez

41■ At the National University of Cordoba (UNCo):

42Semiotics, career of Modern Literature, Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, UNCo

43Semiotics, career of Social Communication, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, UNCo

44Applied Semiotics, career of Theater, Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, UNCo

45Semiotics, career of Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism and Design, UNCo

46■ At the National University of Litoral (UNL):

47General Semiotics, prof. Daniel Gastaldello and María E. De Zan, career of Literature, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, UNL

48■ At the National University of San Juan (UNSJ):

49Linguistics and Semiotics, career of Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, Humanities and Arts, UNSJ

50Semiology and Visual Rhetoric, career of Visual Arts, Faculty of Philosophy, Humanities and Arts, UNSJ

51■ At the National University of Rosario (UNR):

52Semiotics, career of Fine Arts, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, UNR

Postgraduate studies in Semiotics, 2012

53PhD in Semiotics. Organized by the Center of Advanced Studies and the Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities, National University of Cordoba. Director: María Teresa Dalmasso. Info: http://doctoradosemiotica.blogspot.com
http://www.cea.unc.edu.ar/​carreras/​doctorados/​doctorado-en-semiotica#03

54Master in Semiotics of Discourse. Organized by the Program of Semiotics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, National University of Misiones. Director: Ana Camblong. Info: http://www.programadesemiotica.edu.ar/

Some ongoing research programs and projects in 2012

55Research Program on Social Discourse. Center of Advanced Studies, National University of Cordoba. Director: María T. Dalmasso,
www.cea.unc.edu.ar/programas/discurso-social.-lo-visible-y-lo-enunciable

56Research Program on Color and Visual Semiotics. Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, University of Buenos Aires. Director: José Luis Caivano,
www.fadu.uba.ar/sitios/sicyt/color/home.htm

57Research Program on Semiotics of Space. Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, University of Buenos Aires. Director: Claudio F. Guerri

58“Art, design and politics in graphic collective media”, 2011-2012. Research project approved with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Research group: Paula Siganevich (dir.), Mariano Dagatti, María Laura Nieto, Florencia Capella, Laura Quinteros, Verónica García.

59“Art and politics: aesthetic practices in the design of political action”. Research project, National Universitary Institute of the Arts. Research group: Marita Soto (dir.), Paula Magariños, Julieta Steimberg.

60“Performance and daily life”. Research project, University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Social Sciences. Research group: Marita Soto (dir.), Oscar Steimberg (codir.), Federico Baeza, María José Bórquez, María Fernanda Cappa, Julián Gorodischer, Marisa Hernández, Ana Loggia Bergero, Rolando Martínez Mendoza, Nora Mezzano, Agustina Pérez Rial, Carina Perticone, Cecilia Sluga, Darío Steimberg, Graciela Varela, Mariano Zelcer.

61“New practices for new learning. A study of semiotic mediation in the classroom of sciences”. Research Project, University of Buenos Aires, Basic Common Cycle. Gustavo E. Bender (dir.)

62“Sensitive practices in the local-regional dimension: Aesthetic-semiotic approach to communitarian, collective and participative arts in contemporary Latin America, 2000 and today”. Research Project, University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Philosophy and Literature. Alicia Ester Romero (dir.)

Nomination

63At the general assembly of the International Association for Visual Semiotics (AISV-IAVS), during the 10^th Conference in Buenos Aires, 2012, José Luis Caivano was elected president of the AISV-IAVS for the next term. The executive board is now composed of:

president:	José Luis Caivano	Argentina	caivano[at]fadu.uba.ar
general secretary:	Göran Sonesson	Sweden	goran.sonesson[at]semiotik.lu.se
vice-presidents:	Alfredo Cid Jurado	Mexico	alfredo.cid.jurado[at]hotmail.com
	Maria Giulia Dondero	Belgium	mariagiulia.dondero[at]ulg.ac.be
	Tiziana Migliore	Italy	tiziana.migliore[at]unive.it
	Isabel Marcos	Portugal	23isamar[at]gmail.com
	Eduardo Peñuela	Brazil	epcaniza[at]usp.br
	Rocco Mangieri	Venezuela	roccomangieri642[at]hotmail.com
	Rengin Kucukerdogan	Turkey	r.kucukerdogan[at]iku.edu.tr
treasurer / assist. secr.:	Lynn Bannon	Canada	bannon.lynn[at]uqam.ca

“Semioticians” Yahoo group

64After the death of Juan A. Magariños de Morentin in 2010, the “Semioticians” Yahoo group that he created on the web and as a mailing list in 1999, continued its activity thanks to the efforts of Giovanna Winchkler. Today, the group has near 2 000 members and remains as the main source of communication not only for Latin American semioticians but also for many semiotic scholars from other continents.