Language, racist power & a possible future reading

[Linnea Micciulla]

Hi John and everyone,

This is the first I've heard of this use of linguistic analysis.  I 
would certainly be interested in hearing more about it - based on the 
link you sent, at a minimum this appears to be a convenient way to 
formalize/legitimize discrimination against asylum seekers not just by 
nationality but specifically by social class.

I tried to track down the article cited in International Journal of 
Speech, Language and the Law: Forensic Linguistics, vol. 11 no. 2 
(2004), but the journal's homepage is evidently out of date; they list 
vol 11 no 1 as the current issue. Were you able to get hold of the article?

Peter Patrick's Linguistic Human Rights page 
(http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~patrickp/lhr/lhrasylum.htm) has a link 
to the full text of the guidelines, and provides a case study along with 
other relevant information.

Linnea


 
John E Richardson wrote:

>Sorry for cross-posting...
>This is extraordinary. I'm not sure if the relationship between language
>and racist power has ever been so clearly demonstrated. Has anyone else
>heard of this going on?
>Near the end, the report mentions an academic article in the
>International Journal of Speech, Language and the Law: Forensic
>Linguistics, vol. 11 no. 2 (2004). Perhaps it might be one for the list
>to look at?
>
>http://www.irr.org.uk/2005/july/ak000011.html
>
>The use and abuse of language analysis in asylum cases
>By Tim Cleary
>21 July 2005, 3:00pm
>The recent practice of language analysis in asylum cases has met with
>criticism from concerned professionals. Linguists have responded with a
>set of professional guidelines with the aim of preventing potential
>abuses of this method of analysis.
>
>Professional linguists and law professionals are becoming increasingly
>concerned about the use and abuse of language analysis in the
>examination of asylum applications. In essence, this involves the use of
>a recording and an analysis of an applicant's speech to determine his or
>her national origin, with a view to identifying whether an asylum claim
>is genuine or 'bogus'. [...]
>
>
>John E Richardson
>Dept of Journalism Studies
>Sheffield University
>
>  
>