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Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 19th May 2024, 10:02:59pm EDT
Securitization of the Kurdistan Independent Referendum: A Discourse Analysis of Iraqi Ruling elites through prisms of language theory
Hawre Hasan Hama, Faruq Abdul Mawlood
University of Sulaimani, Iraq
Abstract
Despite the local, regional and international pressures on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to postpone the independent referendum, the Kurdish leadership held the independent referendum on its scheduled time in 25 September, 2017. Following the vote, the Iraqi Armed Forces with the help of Shiite Militia groups securitized the Kurdish forces in the disputed areas by attacking them in 16 October, 2017.
As theorized by the Copenhagen school, security is equated with a speech act, while securitization refers to how an issue is linguistically portrayed as an existential threat. This paper, by applying the speech act theory, explores the discourses and the security language of the Iraqi ruling elites regarding the Kurdistan Independent referendum, particularly it focusses on how the Kurdistan Independent referendum is linguistically portrayed as an existential threat by the Iraqi policy makers.
Methodologically, the paper analyzes the discourses of both Arab Shiite and Sunni political elites prior to the attacks.
Keywords: Independent referendum, KRG, Kurdish forces, Securitization, Language theory.
Beyond English-Centrism: Examining Multilingual School Policies in China's Foreign Language Schools
Mengchan Lyu
Shanghai International Studies University, China, People's Republic of
This study examines the evolution of multilingual school policies in Chinese foreign language schools, which are full-time high schools that specialize in foreign language education rather than just teaching languages. In the wake of increasing calls for diversity in language education, Chinese official policies are now advocating for a broader spectrum of foreign language courses in eligible schools. This paper questions the extent to which these schools can transcend English-centrism to develop truly multilingual policies.
Employing the intersectionality of discourses as an analytical framework, the research analyzes policy documents, and conducts interviews with principals, headteachers, teachers, students, and parents from a select foreign language school. Additionally, this study enriches the theoretical model of agency in LPP (Bouchard & Glasgow, 2019), through a multimodal discourse analysis of the school's 'International Culture Festival'. This sheds light on students' active engagement in policy construction across diverse languages, cultures, and modalities.
Findings reveal a discrepancy between policy intentions and practice: while policies ostensibly aim to cater to diverse linguistic needs and foster multilingual competencies, foreign language choices remain utilitarian, primarily driven by examination outcomes. Notably, students learning languages other than English often face stigmatization, perceived as a recourse due to poor English test performance.
The study underscores the complex interplay of globalization, neoliberalism, market forces, and nationalism in shaping school policies and language practices. It highlights how foreign language education is primarily viewed as a vehicle for enhancing academic and professional prospects, rather than for fostering genuine multilingualism. Importantly, the research illustrates the dynamic role of stakeholders, especially students, in redefining language-in-education policies, emphasizing the significance of bottom-up approaches in language policy development.
This paper contributes to the discourse on multilingualism and language-in-education policies, offering insights into the challenges and potentials of implementing diverse language policies in the context of Chinese foreign language schools.
