[lg policy] Social meanings of language policy in Pakistan

[Harold Schiffman]

Social meanings of language policy in Pakistan
Posted on March 21,
2013<http://www.languageonthemove.com/news/social-meanings-of-language-policy-in-pakistan>
by Lg_on_the_move <http://www.languageonthemove.com/author/admin> |  No. of
posts 62 <http://www.languageonthemove.com/author/admin>  |  344 views
[image: Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development presents
global research seminar about language-in-education policy in Pakistan]

Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development presents global
research seminar about language-in-education policy in Pakistan

The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development presents a
global research seminar:

*Topic:* Social Meanings of language policy and practices: A critical
linguistic ethnographic study of four schools in Pakistan

*Presenter*: Muhammad Ali Khan

*Date*: Friday, March 22, 2013
*Time*: 2:00 pm, West Asia Time (Islamabad, GMT+05:00)

*Abstract:* I investigate the language-in-education policy and practices of
Pakistan in four schools, using an interdisciplinary approach combining
methods and perspectives from post-structuralist theory, critical
ethnographic sociolinguistics and sociolinguistics. My study theorizes the
ways in which everyday language practices in schools contribute to the
reproduction or contestation of linguistic ideologies, language hierarchies
and social relations. Data was gathered using a number of different
methods, mainly observation, audio-recording, note-taking, interviews,
photography and administering a questionnaire.

The findings suggest that languages on display in schools are an important
resource for investigating the language policy, linguistic ideologies,
hierarchies and power relations at micro, meso and macro levels. They
constitute a sociolinguistic order in which standard varieties of English
and Urdu dominate the public space. The orthographic aspects of languages
on display reconstitute the socio-political and economic struggles embedded
in the history of asymmetrical power relations. At the policy level, they
show a clear contradiction between the spoken language practices observed
in schools and the clearly defined boundaries between languages shown in
the display. At the policy level, they misrepresent the multilingual makeup
of Pakistani society by only displaying the officially-mandated languages.

In sum, this seminar engages with the field of language policy and
bilingual education by showing how the study of languages on display can be
used to investigate policy, and also the socio-political relations across
time and space. It also contributes to bilingual education by illustrating
the complexity involved at the implementation site of bilingual education,
showing the agency of the actors in appropriating, negotiating, resisting
or rejecting policy at micro levels.

*Presenter*: Muhammad Ali
Khan<http://www.languageonthemove.com/muhammad-ali-khan-2>is a
doctoral researcher at Lancaster University and senior instructor in
the Center of English Language at Aga Khan University.

*How to join online:*

* Date: Friday, March 22, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm, West Asia Time (Islamabad, GMT+05:00)
Meeting Number: 627 529 273
Meeting Password: 12345*

——————————————————-
To join the online meeting (Now from mobile devices!)
——————————————————-
1. Go to
https://akuniv.webex.com/akuniv/j.php?ED=226929722&UID=0&PW=NZWU0MzM1Yzg0&RT=MiM0MA%3D%3D
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: 12345
4. Click “Join”.

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link:
https://akuniv.webex.com/akuniv/j.php?ED=226929722&UID=0&PW=NZWU0MzM1Yzg0&ORT=MiM0MA%3D%3D

http://www.languageonthemove.com/news/social-meanings-of-language-policy-in-pakistan




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