Language Activism: Imaginaries and Strategies of Minority Language Equality: 114 (Contributions to the Sociology of Language [CSL], 114)

While top-down policies and declarations have yet to establish equal status and opportunities for speakers of all languages in practice, activists and advocates at local levels are playing an increasingly significant role in the creation of new social imaginaries and practices in multilingual contexts. This volume describes how social actors across multiple domains contribute to the elusive goal of linguistic equality or justice through their language activism practices. Through an ethnographic account of Indigenous Isthmus Zapotec language activism in Oaxaca, Mexico, this study illuminates the (sometimes conflicting) imaginaries of what positive social change is and how it should be achieved, and the repertoire of strategies through which these imaginaries are being pursued. Ethnographic and action research conducted from 2013-2018 in the multilingual Isthmus of Tehuantepec brings to light the experiences of educators, students, writers, scholars and diverse cultural activists whose aspirations and strategies of social change are significant in shaping the future language ecology. Their repertoire of strategies may inform and encourage language activists, scholars, and educators working for change in other contexts of linguistic diversity and inequality. While top-down policies and declarations have yet to establish equal status and opportunities for speakers of all languages in practice, advocates at local levels are playing an increasingly significant role in the creation of new social imaginaries and practices in multilingual contexts. This volume describes how social actors across multiple domains contribute to the elusive goal of linguistic equality through their language advocacy practices. Through an ethnographic account of Indigenous Isthmus Zapotec language advocacy in Oaxaca, Mexico, this study illuminates the (sometimes conflicting) imaginaries of what positive social change is and how it should be achieved, and the repertoire of strategies through which these imaginaries are being pursued. Ethnographic and action research conducted from 2013-2018 in the multilingual Isthmus of Tehuantepec brings to light the experiences of educators, students, writers, scholars and diverse cultural activists whose aspirations and strategies of social change are significant in shaping the future language ecology. Their repertoire of strategies may inform and encourage language advocates, scholars, and educators working for change in other contexts of linguistic diversity and inequality. Acknowledgements Contents List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1 Advocating for linguistic equality Chapter 2 The moving target of activism: Changing language ecologies in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Chapter 3 Creating knowledge and resources: Strategies in scholarship Chapter 4 Connecting community and school spaces: Strategies in primary and secondary education Chapter 5 Representing legitimate languages and identities: Strategies in higher education Chapter 6 Imagining convivial multilingual literacies: Strategies in community-based education Chapter 7 Imagining future traditions: Strategies in popular culture spaces Chapter 8 Developing a repertoire of activism strategies Appendix A: Language activism strategy framework Appendix B: Transcription conventions Appendix C: Glossary of common abbreviations, Diidxazá, and Spanish terms References Index