Critical ethnography of language policy in the global south: insights from research in Timor-Leste

Abstract

This special issue focuses on language policy processes at work, in different sectors of education, in one small multilingual nation situated on the global periphery: the nation of Timor-Leste, in South East Asia. The four articles in this special issue draw on research of a broadly critical and ethnographic nature. To set these articles within a wider research context, the first section of this Introduction charts the development of critical approaches to the study of language policy and planning (LPP). The second section then delineates two main strands of ethnographic research related to LPP processes and points to some of the ways in which the scope of critical, ethnographic research has been widened in recent years. In the third section, we introduce the four articles, highlighting the distinctive nature of the ethnographic research presented in each one. In the fourth section, we show how the articles illustrate the need to combine ethnography with a critical, historical perspective, and with close attention to contemporary global processes, such as the commodification of particular languages. In the final section, we offer reflections on the possibilities for contributing to change in language policy and practice, in Timor-Leste and elsewhere, through researcher-practitioner collaboration of a critical, ethnographic nature.

Integration of Local Wisdom Values “Domyak Ritual” in Character Education

“…In addition, ancient Indonesian culture has undergone many changes and changes due to the different interpretations and understandings of locals, indigenous peoples, and mixed races. In other words, the Indonesian culture we are used to today have gone through a dynamic and eclectic process (Cabral & Martin-Jones, 2021). They are responsible for various qualities of the result, such as ontological consequences, artifacts, and the nature of the cultural career.…”

Participatory Qualitative Research in a Multilingual Context: The Use of Panel Translation to Better Understand and Improve Sexual and Reproductive Health in Timor-Leste

“…Tetun and Portuguese were adopted after independence as co-official languages, with Indonesian and English designated as ‘working languages’ (Cabral et al, 2021). More than 30 other languages spoken across Timor-Leste are considered ‘national languages’ (Cabral et al, 2021; General Directorate of Statistics Timor-Leste, 2015), which is the terminology we use in this paper.…”

“…Tetun and Portuguese were adopted after independence as co-official languages, with Indonesian and English designated as ‘working languages’ (Cabral et al, 2021). More than 30 other languages spoken across Timor-Leste are considered ‘national languages’ (Cabral et al, 2021; General Directorate of Statistics Timor-Leste, 2015), which is the terminology we use in this paper. We also use the government classification and spelling of national languages, defined in the 2015 Census, although we acknowledge that differences and debates exist about the classification and total number of these national languages, along with how data are collected around language use (Cabral et al, 2021; Williams-Van Klinken & Hajek, 2018; Williams-van Klinken & Williams, 2015; Williams-van Klinken et al, 2016).…”

Sfi students' investment in their basic literacy development in a second language : Literacy practices in the students' everyday lives and in education

“…Kritik har emellertid riktats mot NLS med avseende på att maktaspekterna har haft en alltför nedtonad roll och att detta i högre grad bör framhävas inom forskningsfältet (Norlund . Under slutet av 1980-talet påbörjades en kritisk vändning inom litteracitetsforskningen (Cabral & Martin-Jones, 2021). Den centrala utgångspunkten i denna vändning var att föreställningar om språk och litteracitet är intimt sammanlänkade med (re)produktion av sociala maktförhållanden och ojämlikhet.…”