Decolonizing Language-in-Education Policies: Unequal Englishes and Multilingual Dynamics in Postcolonial Contexts
Organised by Asia and Oceania Student Research Committee & Gender and Identity Student Research Committee
The IAPSS Asia and Oceania Student Research Committee, in collaboration with the Gender and Identity Research Committee, warmly invites you to an intellectually enriching session. This discussion will explore the complex intersections of colonial legacies and decolonial challenges in educational and linguistic policies across the Global South. With a particular emphasis on the sociopolitical implications of language-in-education policies, the session aims to critically examine their impact on postcolonial societies, exploring the intricate power dynamics within the region.
About this session: This session critically delves into the pivotal topic of language-in-education policies and their sociopolitical rationalities and consequences in postcolonial multilingual contexts, particularly emphasising the Global South. The significance of this research lies in its potential to shed light on the complex dynamics of language use in education and to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable approach. Drawing on regional findings, it adopts decolonial approaches to language and multilingualism to illustrate how the choice and management of languages in postcolonial education reflect coloniality and the commodification of specific languages. Despite ideological and legislative shifts towards multilingual policies, monolingual bias often influences school practices.
The primary goal of this session is to advocate for promoting multilingualism in education and society through frameworks that foster the coexistence of diverse languages and address language-related social injustices. It highlights epistemological, policy, and experiential efforts to delink from the colonial matrix of power, suggesting directions for future research and practice that can transform the landscape of language education, instilling hope and optimism in the audience.
Additionally, this session stands out for its innovative use of decolonial theory, integrating the concept of Unequal Englishes, as discussed by Grace Saqueton, to analyse the hierarchical valuation of different English varieties within postcolonial contexts. This unique approach allows for a critical perspective on foreign language education, addressing linguistic diversity and classroom variability. It advocates for transcultural and translinguistic humanism grounded in decolonial practices, aiming to situate language study within cultural, historical, and cross-cultural frames. The session seeks to deepen the understanding and teaching of foreign languages by connecting with transdisciplinary research in the humanities, promoting theoretical, educational, social, and ethical engagement in language education.
Speaker: Grace M. Saqueton, Assistant Professor at the Department of English and Comparative Literature, College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines-Diliman
Organising Student Research Committees: Gender and Identity Student Research Committee; Asia and Oceania Student Research Committee
Date: 06 September 2024 (Friday)
Time: 06:30 PM PHST (Manila Time) / 10:30 AM GMT
Zoom Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89616619387?pwd=tlucU5qTpFyBIBo1d3wBSyVlN8PhML.1
Meeting ID: 896 1661 9387
Passcode: IAPSS2024
