Special Interest Group
“Language Policy”
Who we are
We investigate the field of “Language Policy” through the prism of multi- and plurilingualism, i.g. how multi- and plurilingualism shapes language policies in different social and educational contexts and how it is itself shaped by language policies.
The SIG gathers researchers, language educators, and language teaching administrators working in higher education institutions. We welcome members from all stages in their research and professional careers.
The members combine specialisations and expertise in various fields related to language policy research: language education in primary, secondary and higher education, language course design, higher education language centre administration, or applied and sociolinguistics. Outside of our institutions and beyond our research activities, some members cooperate with language policy makers as advisors at various levels.
How we work
The SIG group meets at regular intervals at the Langscape & ENROPE Online Colloquia. In-between meetings are held if required.
The SIG has two moderators, who host and chair the regular group meetings. They facilitate communication among group members and welcome newcomers. To contact the moderators, see section “How to get in touch”.
Aims & Goals
As a SIG, we explore the adoption, interpretation, and implications of language policies at local, national, and supranational levels, as well as the factors contributing to their formulation.
We aim to contribute to the academic community by examining cases, their impact on practices, and consequences. Also, we aim to highlight the significance of language policies and language politics for communities in their function both express and to shape the discourse on language use both within private and public contexts.
Language policies can be stated and endorsed formally, informally, or just tacitly. They apply nearly everywhere and can be identified wherever there is language in action.
Current focus
We are currently interested in the investigation into institutional language policies and factors influencing their formulation.
Following the Bologna-Declaration in 1999, universities across Europe committed to the internationalisation of higher education, to increase cross-border mobility of students, and to better interchangeability of higher education qualification programmes. We take an interest from a language policy research point of view in the status and its development of multi- and plurilingualism in higher education.
Projects & activities
Our projects include the collection and analysis of language policy documents, collaborative article submissions, and participation in conferences.
We are currently preparing a survey on the existence, scope and implementation of language policies in the respective higher education institution of ENROPE members.
An analysis of university language policy documents is currently underway following the question of how internationalisation of higher education is linked with aspects of multi- and pluringualism through policy measures and at the discourse level of the documents themselves.
There is a growing body of research published by SIG group members:
[include references and access links].
How to get in touch
Feel free to contact the group coordinators via e-mail:
Ozan Varli
ozan.varli@hs-furtwangen.de
Robin Breit
robin.breit@tu-darmstadt.de
Image sources:
- 11aba9cf30326eb073f2afaf3760673090fc76e1: Foto: colourbox.de