‘Norwegian-Somalis are best suited to inform Norwegian-Somalis’

The strategic contingency plans on all levels in Norway include references to possible needs for translating and adapting information flow into other languages. However, the situation at the grassroot level shows that these measures have not been considered an essential service. Valuable time passed during the first wave of COVID-19 until different public actors figured out their responsibilities and before the information was translated, adapted, and given, via appropriate media, to the beneficiaries. This article analyses actors and actions in eight online articles published by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, NRK, focusing on crisis communication, and linguistic diversity in Norway during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic (March–June 2020). The analysis shows that the pandemic becomes a magnifying glass on the society uncovering social challenges like lack of trust in the authorities, stigmatization, and social inequality.

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Prospects for the Development of Sociology in Russia in the XXIst century (discussion with V. Ilyin, K. Clement, I. Olimpieva, E. Zdravomyslova, A. Temkina, A. Kondakov, M. Burawoy, March 24, 2015)

Inter ◽

10.19181/inter.2019.19.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (19) ◽

pp. 7-18

Author(s):

Svetlana S. Yaroshenko

Keyword(s):

Social Inequality ◽

Social Order ◽

Social Research ◽

Global Market ◽

Sociological Research ◽

Russian Society ◽

State University ◽

Social Challenges ◽

Xxist Century ◽

European University

The purpose of the discussion is to discuss the prospects for the development of Russian sociology: its possibilities to explain what is happening in Russian society, to respond to social challenges and to represent the interests of those social strata that are crowded out to the periphery along with global market development. Russian sociologists who study social inequality from diﬀerent perspectives and develop critical discourse in Russian sociology participate in the discussion: Vladimir Ilyin (St. Petersburg State University), Karin Clement (St. Petersburg State University), Irina Olimpieva (Centre for Independent Social Research), Elena Zdravomyslova and Anna Temkina (European University St. Petersburg), Alexander Kondakov (European University St. Petersburg), with closing remarks — Michael Burawoy (University of California, Berkeley). Moderator of the discussion — Svetlana Yaroshenko (St. Petersburg State University). Can sociology be independent of society and the processes occurring in it? What is the relationship between sociologists and society today? What are the prospects of sociology as a science, as a profession and as a vocation? What are the features of social order for sociological research and how does it aﬀect the commercial environment? How relevant is the class approach to today’s social theory? Does today’s Russia need a public sociology and what should it be? What are the most relevant dimensions of social inequality? These and other issues were discussed during the discussion.

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Linguistic diversity in the international workplace: Language ideologies and processes of exclusion

Multilingua ◽

10.1515/multi-2014-0005 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 33 (1-2) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Dorte Lønsmann

Keyword(s):

Language Ideologies ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Language Skills ◽

Language Choice ◽

Power Structures ◽

Lingua Franca ◽

Local Language ◽

Social Challenges ◽

Essential Connection ◽

Modern Workplace

AbstractThis article draws on a study of language choice and language ideologies in an international company in Denmark. It focuses on the linguistic and social challenges that are related to the diversity of language competences among employees in the modern workplace. Research on multilingualism at work has shown that employees may be excluded from informal interactions and from access to power structures on the basis of language skills in the company’s language(s). The data discussed here show that in the modern workplace, employees’ linguistic competences are diverse; international employees often have competence in the company’s lingua franca but lack skills in the local language while some ‘local’ employees lack competence in the corporate language (typically English). This can lead to the sociolinguistic exclusion of either group. In conclusion, the article relates these processes of exclusion to two language ideologies: one about an essential connection between language and nation and one about a hierarchy of English users.

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Linguistic diversity in a time of crisis: Language challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic

Multilingua ◽

10.1515/multi-2020-0136 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 39 (5) ◽

pp. 503-515

Author(s):

Ingrid Piller ◽

Jie Zhang ◽

Jia Li

Keyword(s):

Knowledge Base ◽

Crisis Communication ◽

Mass Communication ◽

Large Scale ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Special Issue ◽

Public Health Communication ◽

Global Challenge ◽

Resilient Communities

AbstractMultilingual crisis communication has emerged as a global challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. Global public health communication is characterized by the large-scale exclusion of linguistic minorities from timely high-quality information. The severe limitations of multilingual crisis communication that the COVID-19 crisis has laid bare result from the dominance of English-centric global mass communication; the longstanding devaluation of minoritized languages; and the failure to consider the importance of multilingual repertoires for building trust and resilient communities. These challenges, along with possible solutions, are explored in greater detail by the articles brought together in this special issue, which present case studies from China and the global Chinese diaspora. As such, the special issue constitutes not only an exploration of the sociolinguistics of the COVID-19 crisis but also a concerted effort to open a space for intercultural dialogue within sociolinguistics. We close by contending that, in order to learn lessons from COVID-19 and to be better prepared for future crises, sociolinguistics needs to include local knowledges and grassroots practices not only as objects of investigation but in its epistemologies; needs to diversify its knowledge base and the academic voices producing that knowledge base; and needs to re-enter dialogue with policy makers and activists.

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The Public Sphere in Emerging Infectious Disease Communication: Recipient or Active and Vocal Partner?

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2015.31 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 447-458 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Anat Gesser-Edelsburg ◽

Yaffa Shir-Raz ◽

Nathan Walter ◽

Emilio Mordini ◽

Dimitris Dimitriou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Sphere ◽

Cultural Differences ◽

Information Flow ◽

International Organizations ◽

Crisis Communication ◽

Health Organizations ◽

The Public ◽

Health Authorities ◽

The Social ◽

The Public Sphere

ABSTRACTObjectiveRecent years have seen advances in theories and models of risk and crisis communication, with a focus on emerging epidemic infection. Nevertheless, information flow remains unilateral in many countries and does not take into account the public’s polyvocality and the fact that its opinions and knowledge often “compete” with those of health authorities. This article addresses the challenges organizations face in communicating with the public sphere.MethodsOur theoretical approach is conceptualized through a framework that focuses on the public sphere and that builds upon existing guidelines and studies in the context of health and pandemics. We examine how health organizations cope with the public’s transformation from recipients to an active and vocal entity, ie, how and to what extent health organizations address the public’s anxiety and concerns arising in the social media during outbreaks.ResultsAlthough international organizations have aspired to relate to the public as a partner, this article identifies notable gaps.ConclusionsOrganizations must involve the public throughout the crisis and conduct dialogues free of prejudices, paternalism, and preconceptions. Thereby, they can impart precise and updated information reflecting uncertainty and considering cultural differences to build trust and facilitate cooperation with the public sphere. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:447–458)

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American Speech-Language Pathologists' Training and Legislative Knowledge When Working With Immigrant and Refugee Populations: A Qualitative Study

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_pers-sig17-2019-0028 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 1148-1161

Author(s):

Camilo Maldonado ◽

Alejandro Ashe ◽

Kerri Bubar ◽

Jessica Chapman

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Service Provision ◽

Limited English Proficiency ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Federal Mandates ◽

Refugee Families ◽

Provision Of Services ◽

English Speaking ◽

Immigrant And Refugee

Background American educational legislation suggests culturally competent speech and language services should be provided in a child's native language, but the number of multilingual speech-language pathologists (SLPs) is negligible. Consequently, many monolingual English-speaking practitioners are being tasked with providing services to these populations. This requires that SLPs are educated about cultural and linguistic diversity as well as the legislation that concerns service provision to non-English or limited English proficiency speakers. Purpose This qualitative study explored the experiences of monolingual, American, English-speaking SLPs and clinical fellows who have worked with immigrant and refugee families within a preschool context. It investigated what training SLPs received to serve this population and what knowledge these SLPs possessed with regard to federal legislation governing the provision of services to culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) communities. Method Ten American clinicians with experience treating CLD children of refugee and immigrant families in the context of preschool service provision participated in the study. Semistructured interviews were utilized to better understand the type of training clinicians received prior to and during their service delivery for CLD populations. Additionally, questions were asked to explore the degree to which practitioners understood federal mandates for ethical and effective service provision. The data collected from these interviews were coded and analyzed using the principles of grounded theory. Findings The results of this study revealed that there was a general sense of unpreparedness when working with CLD clients. This lack of training also attributed to a deficiency of knowledge surrounding legislation governing service provision to CLD populations.

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Accent Policy and Accent Modification Enterprises as Potential Indicators of Intercultural Power Relations: A Call for an Updated Research Agenda

Perspectives on Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Related Disorders ◽

10.1044/gics3.1.22 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 22-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brynne D. Ovalle ◽

Rahul Chakraborty

Keyword(s):

International Relations ◽

Identity Construction ◽

Social Theory ◽

Power Relations ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Cultural Organization ◽

Using Data ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

This article has two purposes: (a) to examine the relationship between intercultural power relations and the widespread practice of accent discrimination and (b) to underscore the ramifications of accent discrimination both for the individual and for global society as a whole. First, authors review social theory regarding language and group identity construction, and then go on to integrate more current studies linking accent bias to sociocultural variables. Authors discuss three examples of intercultural accent discrimination in order to illustrate how this link manifests itself in the broader context of international relations (i.e., how accent discrimination is generated in situations of unequal power) and, using a review of current research, assess the consequences of accent discrimination for the individual. Finally, the article highlights the impact that linguistic discrimination is having on linguistic diversity globally, partially using data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and partially by offering a potential context for interpreting the emergence of practices that seek to reduce or modify speaker accents.

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Speech-Language Assessment Considerations for American Indian and Alaska Native Children Who Are Dual Language Learners

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/persp2.sig14.29 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (14) ◽

pp. 29-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Christine Vining ◽

Edgarita Long ◽

Ella Inglebret ◽

Megan Brendal

Keyword(s):

American Indian ◽

Language Learners ◽

Alaska Native ◽

Dual Language ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Critical Role ◽

Language Assessment ◽

Assessment Process ◽

Dual Language Learners ◽

Native Communities

The overrepresentation of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children in special education, including children who are dual language learners (DLLs), is a major concern. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can play a critical role in reducing this overrepresentation. Using a holistic assessment process that is responsive to the communication patterns of home and community contexts provides a framework for distinguishing actual language disorders from differences associated with cultural and linguistic diversity. This article presents current trends in Native communities that may impact the speech-language assessment process, including a shift from indigenous languages to English and/or Native language revitalization efforts. It also provides a framework for guiding assessment in a manner that considers cultural and linguistic factors in speech-language assessment for AI/AN children who are DLLs.

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