BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Class in multilingualism research - Professor David Block\, ICREA-
 Universitat de Lleida
DTSTART:20130305T173000Z
DTEND:20130305T190000Z
UID:TALK41713@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Ewa Illakowicz
DESCRIPTION:In recent years\, many researchers interested in multilinguali
 sm have adopted identity as a central construct in their work\, thus follo
 wing a general trend in the social sciences. And as has been the case in t
 he social sciences in general\, multilingualism researchers have tended to
  adopt a cultural-based view of identity. This view is consistent with goi
 ngs-on in the economically advanced nation-states of the world (and partic
 ularly in the Anglophone world)\, where there has been a growing interest 
 in what is commonly known as 'identity politics'\, although another and pe
 rhaps more appropriate term used by Nancy Fraser (2003) and others is 'rec
 ognition'. The self-conscious approach to identity has revolved around par
 ticular inscriptions\, with a bias in favour of nationality\, gender\, rac
 e\, ethnicity\, and increasingly\, religion and sexuality. What has been l
 eft to the side is an interest in the identities linked to the material ba
 ses of human existence and economic stratification in 21st century societi
 es\, in particular class-based subject positions\, which would be consiste
 nt with what Fraser and others would call ‘redistribution'. In this pape
 r\, I argue that class needs to be brought centre stage into multilinguali
 sm research. I begin with a short discussion of what class means and how t
 he construct has evolved over the past 150 years. I then survey research i
 n multilingualism where class has been mentioned only in passing\, or wher
 e it seems to be lurking in the shadows without taking centre stage. I end
  with some suggestions regarding how class might be inserted into discussi
 ons of identity and multilingualism. \n\nDavid Block is ICREA Research Pro
 fessor in Sociolinguistics in the Departament d'Anglès i Lingüística\, 
 Universitat de Lleida. Prior to this appointment\, he spent 16 years at th
 e Institute of Education\, University of London\, where he was Professor o
 f Languages in Education. He has published articles\, chapters and books o
 n a variety of topics in applied linguistics\, such as second language ide
 ntities\, English as an international language\, second language acquisiti
 on\, language teacher education\, language learner beliefs\, bi/multilingu
 alism and second language research. At present\, he is incorporating into 
 his work the classical sociology of Marx\, Weber\, Durkheim and others\, a
 s well as contemporary thinking in political economy\, as he develops conc
 eptual frameworks for understanding globalization\, internationalisation\,
  multiculturalism\, bi/multilingualism and identity. In his most recent wo
 rk he has focussed on neoliberalism as the dominant ideology in contempora
 ry societies\, socioeconomic stratification in 21st century societies and 
 class as a key dimension of identity. 
LOCATION: Faculty of Education\, 184 Hills Road\, Cambridge\, CB2 8PQ\, ro
 om GS1
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR