‘The standard remains the same’: language standardisation, race and othering in higher education

Abstract

As the result of global changes, government policy and university initiatives, institutions of higher education in Canada have become increasingly linguistically and racially diverse. Traditionally -through policy, curriculum, instruction and assessment -Canadian universities have promoted a subjective, monolithic and racialised 'Standard' English. Efforts to limit linguistic heterogeneity in higher education, however, are increasingly at odds with the global flows and hyperdiversity of the world in which we live. Internationalisation of Canadian campuses has implications for university policies and practices around English language variation. Drawing on a review of relevant literature, policy document analysis and semistructured interviews with academic staff and international students, this paper explores the relationship between settler colonialism, race and English language variation at a Canadian university.

Developing the global graduate: how first year university students’ narrate their experiences of culture

“…Studies on discourses of culture and cultural difference in higher education settings have previously shown evidence of this. Lee (2015) illustrates how, in the English as a second language classroom, an instructor facilitated a topical discussion starting from an 'assumption of difference' and 'expectation of cultural otherness' (p. Sterzuk (2015) shows evidence of identity co-construction and shift.…”

‘No, I Don’t Like the Basque Language.’ Considering the Role of Cultural Capital within Boundary-Work in Basque Education

“…This paper will assess this perspective in relation to the ethnographic 2 Wimmer (2008Wimmer ( , 2013 uses the term 'Them' instead of 'Others' in his work. However, I chose to use the designation 'Others' to refer to the extensively researched 'Us/Others' binary, in line with most authors in the social sciences (Berg 2010;Simmons et al 2011;Koefoed and Simonsen 2012;Sterzuk 2015). Soc.…”

On the same wavelength? Hyperdiverse young people at a community radio station

“…Hyperdiversity scholars have also studied language and belonging (e.g. Kayaalp, 2016;Piller & Takahashi, 2011;Sterzuk, 2015). Sterzuk (2015) reflects how, traditionally, Canadian universities promoted a monolithic and racialised 'standard' English.…”

“…Kayaalp, 2016;Piller & Takahashi, 2011;Sterzuk, 2015). Sterzuk (2015) reflects how, traditionally, Canadian universities promoted a monolithic and racialised 'standard' English. However, efforts to limit linguistic heterogeneity in higher education (what Matless, 2005 andBoland, 2010 may term 'sonic exclusion'), are at odds with the hyperdiversity of everyday life.…”