UK Language Policy After Brexit 2020: Official vs. Unofficial Language Policy

University of the West of England, Bristol

Conference series chair: Dr Dave Sayers, Senior Lecturer in Sociolinguistics, University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Local committee chair: Dr Charlotte Selleck, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, University of the West of England

POSTPONED TO 2021

Given the disruptions to everyday life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to postpone UKLPAB 2020 to 2021. We will contact all confirmed speakers in the autumn.

Meanwhile we will maintain the original programme as it is, noting the postponement, so that accepted delegates can still add this to their CV with a note that it was cancelled (along with every other event this year!). Conferences are very important for early career academics, and we don't want this postponement to disadvantage anyone.

Plenary speaker

Each year UKLPAB is hosted in a different UK nation, and the plenary speaker is invited from the previous host nation. In 2019, Northern Ireland hosted. In 2020, we are delighted to welcome Dr Philip McDermott, Senior Lecturer in the School of Applied Social and Policy Sciences at Ulster University. His talk is titled 'Language, Power and Identity Politics: Continuing Challenges for Today’s Europe'. His abstract is as follows:

Languages are always subject to entanglement with political, social and cultural power. For example, in today’s Europe the redrawing of borders, the mass movement of people and continuing processes of historical memory have shaped contemporary identities and impacted on languages and their speakers. As we move further into the third decade of the 21^st century, tensions between the forces of globalisation and more parochial forms of populist nationalism have also intensified. Linguistic identities have, in these circumstances, acted as symbolic markers of wider social debates as languages are viewed, categorised and attributed with differing statuses in a determined hierarchy. Therefore, the present time is an important juncture at which to take stock of these political dynamics and to consider how and why languages are situated ‘within’, ‘without’ or at the periphery of Europe and the role of policy in this. Utilising a range of case studies from the experiences of several European countries, this paper focuses on the ways in which language policies have been framed politically and how language planners negotiate these tensions.

Programme

10:00. PLENARY. Philip McDermott, Senior Lecturer, Ulster University, 'Language, power and identity politics: Continuing challenges for today’s Europe'

11:00. Tea/coffee

11:20. Ursula Lanvers, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of York, 'UK Language Policy quo vadis? Language learning in the UK post-Brexit'

11:50. Rapid networking - a carefully choreographed opportunity for everyone to meet everyone else!

12:30. Lunch

13:30. Richard Rossner & Rod Bolitho, Eaquals: Excellence in Language Education, 'Policy and practice in foreign language education in Britain: Need for a rethink?'

14:00. Gabriela Meier, Senior Lecturer in Language Education, University of Exeter, 'Formal and informal language policies and social cohesion: Questions for post-Brexit UK'

14:30. Youkyung Ju Zaveroni, Senior Lector in Korean, SOAS London, 'Transformation of language trends in post-Brexit UK: Evidence of East Asian languages in Higher Education'

15:00. Charlotte Selleck, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, University of the West of England, 'Opting out of Welsh: Parental choices and motivations regarding medium-of instruction in Wales'

15:30. Rachel Bate, Tower Hamlets Idea Store Learning / University of Sunderland, 'The common sense policy of English only in the Adult ESOL classroom'

16:00. Molly Bellamy, London Centre For Legal English, 'Language Policy ‘at a distance’; the English language industry and network governance'

16:30. Heba Arafah, Birkbeck, University of London / Mount Holyoke College, 'Multilinguals’ language choices and perceptions in the socio-political context of the UK'

17:00. Closing words, invitation to UKLPAB 2021!

Call for papers

The call deadline has now passed. The call text below is for reference with regard to the conference themes.

In many parts of the UK there is no explicit policy towards language, either from central government or from the local authority. Often it falls to schools, community groups, parents, and individuals to develop this for themselves. This is more than simply the distinction between institutional and family language policy. Institutions themselves - schools, public sector organisations, community groups, etc. - routinely have to work out how they will address the needs of highly multilingual ‘superdiverse’ populations. There is structural inequality here; some language groups are more explicitly addressed in policy than others, and funding discrepancies lead to differences between areas of the UK.

A pertinent question therefore is: where does language policy come from? What is officially badged as ‘language policy’, and what is derived and adapted by institutions from overarching policies? Where does this leave those people (teachers, community workers, parents) actually trying to facilitate and enrich multilingual lives?

We invite papers that speak to these broad themes. And, as in previous years, we also welcome submissions considering the impact of Brexit on other areas of UK language policy.

Travel, parking

UWE Bristol is a 15 minute walk from Bristol Parkway train station. You can also rent a bike at Bristol Parkway station from Brompton Bikes (prior registration required).

Limited parking spaces will be available on a first-come-first-served basis, and for those with a blue badge.

Bristol airport serves a range of UK and international destinations: https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/where-can-i-fly/explore-destinations. The 'Bristol Flyer' bus connects the airport with the city (and works with the England disabled concessionary bus pass), then there are onward buses to the UWE campus.

UWE Bristol has further travel information here and here.

Download the 'Traveline SW' app to your phone for all public transport options.

Accommodation in Bristol can be somewhat expensive, but Airbnb has some cheaper deals in a reasonable distance from the venue - although if you are claiming expenses, please ensure your employer will reimburse for Airbnb (some won't for insurance reasons).