Year of Equity Series: Linguists often talk the talk but how can we also walk the walk

Date:
-
Location:
233 Gatton College of B&E
Speaker(s) / Presenter(s):
Robin Queen (U of Michigan)
    Part of diversity is linguistic diversity; part of equity is
    linguistic equity; and part of inclusion is linguistic inclusion.
 Yet, despite the many university initiatives around diversity,
    equity, inclusion and access, language and linguistic diversity
    are rarely part of the constellation of identity practices that
 are seen outside of linguistics as warranting efforts toward
    greater justice. Linguists can and should play an important
    role in advocating for the centrality of language within 
    inclusivity efforts, but many of our efforts to do so are less
    effective than we might hope.
 
    In this talk, I’ll explore some of the potential reasons why
    this has been the case and imagine (with your insight and help) 
    some ways that linguists could have more success in our efforts
    to enhance linguistic justice. By framing linguistic inclusion 
    in the context of standardized language privilege, I’ll present
    what we know about linguistic discrimination, pinpoint the
    linguistic stakes of DEI efforts, highlight some flashpoints
    that occur in public discussions about language such as with
    pronouns and political correctness, and finally offer some
    concrete steps that we as linguists can take to effectively
    advocate for the importance of language at all levels of
    intervention linked to greater inclusion and equity.
 

This talk is made possible by generous support from our friends in Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures; English; Gender and Women’s studies; Sociology; Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Studies; African American and Africana Studies; and the College of Arts and Sciences.