You're kindly invited to our next virtual Plurilingual Lab Speaker Series event with Dr. Ryuko Kubota of the University of British Columbia.
Two Faces of Neoliberal Communicative Competence in Japan
Today鈥檚 increased scholarly attention to the multiple, hybrid, and fluid nature of linguistic forms and practices has generated such concepts as translanguaging, English as a lingua franca, and world Englishes. While this multi/plural turn highlights heterogeneity reflecting the current neoliberal expansion of capital and global human mobility, foreign language education policies and practices in Japan exhibit monolithic and normative tendencies. This contradictory trend reflects the neoliberal ideologies imposed on institutions and individuals. Specifically, globalized capitalism necessitates both tolerance for diversity and the development of a competitive edge over others. In this scheme, ability to communicate is conceptualized differently depending on the stakeholder. Contradictory interpretations of 鈥渃ommunication鈥� are demonstrated in a Japanese government document evaluating language-in-education policies for fostering global human resources and Japanese corporate perspectives on the ability to communicate. Analysis of this document and interviews with Japanese transnational corporate workers reveals the paradoxical nature of what can be called neoliberal communication competence, which on the one hand conflates global communication with the four measurable skills in English, and on the other hand challenges the linguistic norms and promotes plurilingualism and intercultural competence. Transformation of policies and pedagogies needs to be sought without becoming complicit with neoliberal ideologies.
Ryuko Kubota is a Professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education in the Faculty of Education at University of British Columbia, Canada, where she teaches applied linguistics and teacher education. Her research draws on critical approaches to language education, focusing on antiracism, critical pedagogies, and language ideologies.
When: February 24, 2022 (Thursday)
Time: 12pm-1:30pm (EST, Montreal)
Mode of delivery: synchronous via Zoom
Registration is closed.
This is a public event and all are welcome. This Speaker Series is co-organized by the BILD Research Group and McGill's Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) Research Talks. A recording will be made available on our .
