[RNLD] Indigenous language programs in prisons

Alissa Stern alissa at basabali.org
Thu Mar 19 16:09:53 UTC 2020


I was happily surprised to receive a request from a librarian from  ICE (US
Immigration and Custom Enforcement) who was looking for Balinese language
and other local language materials for immigration detainees.

The local Balinese community here in Washington DC sprung into action and
within an hour, mobilized materials for the Indonesian Embassy to bring to
the librarian for the detainees.
The librarian underscored how important he thought it was for detainees to
have materials in their own language.

Best wishes for safety and good health.

Alissa Stern
Founder
BASAbali.org

On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 12:00 PM Ruth Rouvier <rrouvier at berkeley.edu> wrote:

> The Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival used to have a
> program supporting language in prisons.
>
> Also, when I was working for a tribal language program I received a number
> of requests for language materials (dictionaries, grammars, and recordings)
> from people who were incarcerated and were studying independently.
>
> Ruth
>
> On Thu, Mar 19, 2020, 02:40 Julia Sallabank <js72 at soas.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>> Apparently heritage language learning has been popular among Irish and
>> Kurdish prisoners.
>>
>> Best wishes
>> Julia
>>
>> On Thu, 19 Mar 2020 at 05:19, John Mansfield <jbmansfield at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I am interested if any indigenous language programs in prisons have been
>>> documented?
>>>
>>> I.e. programs that address prisoners who speak indigenous languages and
>>> allow them to undertake educational or other prison activities using their
>>> languages. These could involve language revitalisation or fluent speakers.
>>> I'm in Australia myself, but I'd also be interested in indigenous languages
>>> in other countries.
>>>
>>> I have heard anecdotally about a couple such programs, but I don't know
>>> if any have been written about. I have recently been involved in trialling
>>> such a program in Darwin prison, so I'm interested in what has been done
>>> elsewhere.
>>>
>>> https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/research-unit-for-indigenous-language/research/current-research-projects#darwin-prison-indigenous-languages-program
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Dr. Julia Sallabank
>> Reader in Language Policy and Revitalisation, School of Languages,
>> Cultures and Linguistics
>> Associate Director for Learning and Teaching Quality (UG)
>> SOAS, University of London,
>> London WC1H 0XG, UK
>>
>> Tel. +44 (0)20 7898 4326
>>
>> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8662-6228 <http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8662-6228>
>>
>> *Now out in paperback!*
>> *Attitudes to Endangered Languages: Identities and Policies*
>>
>> https://www.cambridge.org/gb/academic/subjects/languages-linguistics/sociolinguistics/attitudes-endangered-languages-identities-and-policies?format=PB
>>
>

-- 
Alissa Stern
Founding Director
BASAbali.org
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