Panel A.07 — Language learning for social justice: How university language programmes can contribute to reducing inequalities and empower minoritized communities
Convenors Frank Austermuehl (Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom); David Prickett (Universität Potsdam, Germany)
Keywords language learning; linguistic inclusion; university language programmes
The aim of this panel is to analyse and critically discuss the role that university-based language learning and teaching can play in promoting social justice and inclusion.
We are particularly interested in hearing example of how university-based language programmes (for example, in foreign language teaching, TESOL, or translation and interpreting) integrate the support of minoritized communities into meaningful knowledge exchange activities, in particular in the form of community-engaged service learning and research (see Bowker 2021, Braber 2023, Palpacuer, Curtis and Curran 2018, as well as Porto 2023).
We are also keen to explore how university language centres (ULCs) are helping to make language learning and teaching available to otherwise excluded communities, including refugees and migrants, and thus contribute to reducing language-related inequalities.
We welcome proposals on (but not limited to) the following topics:
- Language-driven inequalities in education
- Language learning and community engagement
- University-wide language programmes and social inclusion
- Language learning and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Volunteering opportunities for language students
- Language learning and intercultural education
- The importance of names for inclusive education
- Language learning and the decolonization of the curriculum
- Literacy and language learning
- Language learning and gender inequality
- Language technologies and social justice.