Language plenty, refugees and the post-Brexit world: new practices from Scotland

Phipps, A. (2017) Language plenty, refugees and the post-Brexit world: new practices from Scotland. In: Kelly, M. (ed.) Languages after Brexit: How the UK Speaks to the World. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham, Switzerland, pp. 95-107. ISBN 9783319651682 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-65169-9_9)

Abstract

This chapter argues that Scotland has achieved a high level of maturity in the multilingual policy debate across the UK, connected to devolved policies of education and of linguistic inclusion, and to its indigenous language policies. Its policies of integration for refugees and asylum seekers have included an ever increasing focus on languages as essential to the provision of bonds and bridges for integration and for the hosting of refugees. Listening to refugee-background residents of Scotland, policymakers and groups in civil society have become aware of their own ‘stinginess with languages’. The chapter argues that lessons need to be learned from those contexts worldwide which operate different models of multilingualism. And policymaking itself needs new language. In Scotland, language policies are emerging that are shifting the discourses, even if we are all ‘beginners’ in the practices of ‘language plenty’.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Phipps, Professor Alison
• Authors: Phipps, A.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Creativity Culture and Faith; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• ISBN: 9783319651682
• Published Online: 20 October 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 The Author
• First Published: First published in Languages after Brexit: How the UK Speaks to the World: 95-107
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

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