Language Policy Evaluation And The European Charter For Regional Or Minority Languages European Charter For Regional Or Minority Languages (1992)

Part I includes two chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the main issues addressed in this book; it identifies gaps in the literature and explains why these gaps need to be filled in order to facilitate the development of language policies for the implementation of standards, particularly those reflected in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The main function of this book is to build bridges between the sociolinguistic and the 'legal-institutional' perspectives on minority language policy. There are, of course, many different ways to build bridges. The approach adopted here relies on policy analysis. Its core concern is with the ways in which choices are made, and the reasons why certain choices are made. In Chapter 1, I also explain why this book is not primarily intended as a scholarly volume, even though it draws on various strands of scholarship. Rather, its aim is to present a set of analytical and methodological tools in a targeted fashion, in order to help practitioners think about language policy matters in a policy perspective. Chapter 2 presents the main analytical sources used to structure this enterprise, namely, 'language policy' and 'policy analysis'. These are combined into a 'policy-to-outcome path' which guides the approach developed in subsequent chapters. Language Policy ## A note on terminology Policies for the promotion of regional or minority languages are highly complex. Most of the time, they also raise delicate political issues. For both reasons, it is important to clarify at the outset a few points of terminology. Further terminological points will be addressed later on, as the core analytical concepts are introduced progressively. ## Language, minority, territory The first point has to do with the type of languages to which we are referring. The scholarly literature generally refers to 'minority languages'. However, there is nothing automatic about the concept of minority; rather, the notion of minority is socially constructed, just as the ascription to any given group to the status of 'minority', is a political process. Language is undoubtedly one of those traits with respect to which a person may be 'in the majority' or 'in a minority', but whether this trait matters or not, the extent to which it actually shapes a person's perception of himself or the way in which he is perceived by others is a distinct question. This book therefore adopts, a constructionist (as opposed to essentialist) view of 'minority', and of the 'ethnicity' that may be used as its defining feature. 1 However, much of the scholarly and political debate over what a minority actually is revolves around more elusive concepts than language, in particular 'ethnicity' or 'culture', and despite the complexity of 'language', it is a reasonably identifiable aspect of human experience. Therefore, specialists in language policy interested in a linguistic minority can by and large apply most variants of the standard definition of Academic Researchers In Language Planning And Language Policy, Ethnicity, Culture And Identity, As Well As Professionals Involved In The Implementation Of Regional, National And International Programmes For The Protection Of Minority Languages, Will Find This Book Offers A Fresh Perspective And A Wide Range Of Practical Tools For Policy Development.--jacket. Pt. I. Core Issues And Concepts -- 1. Introduction And Overview -- 2. Language Policy -- Pt. Ii. The European Charter For Regional Or Minority Languages -- 3. The Charter: An Overview -- 4. Implementing The Charter: Organisational Issues -- Pt. Iii. Application -- 5. From Legal Texts To 'good Policy' -- 6. Effectiveness -- 7. Costs And Cost-effectiveness -- 8. Democracy -- 9. A Walk-through Example: Language Education Policy -- Pt. Iv. Conclusions -- 10. Assessment And Perspectives -- App. I. Text Of The European Charter On Regional Or Minority Languages -- App. Ii. Text Of The Explanatory Report On The European Charter -- App. Iii. The 'flensburg Recommendations' -- App. Iv. Selected Internet Resources. François Grin ; With Contributions By Regina Jensdóttir And Dónall Ó Riagáin. Selected Internet Resources: P. 252-264. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 265-274) And Index. There are many approaches to the protection of linguistic and cultural diversity, particularly through the promotion of minority languages. In this book, Francois Grin provides an innovative treatment based on policy analysis, as a way of building bridges between the sociolinguistic and legal-institutional perspectives on minority language policy. He draws on language economics and education economics in balancing the discourse of linguistic human rights with the examination of resource allocation. While this approach can be applied to many minority languages which are in a sometimes critical situation, the focus for this book is the European continent and the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Two distinguished practitioners in this area, Donall O Riagain and Regina Jensdottir, also contribute chapters and the text of the Charter is given in full. Academic researchers in language planning and language policy, ethnicity, culture and identity, as well as professionals involved in the implementation of regional, national and international programmes for the protection of minority languages, will find this book offers a fresh perspective and a wide range of practical tools for policy development. There are many approaches to the protection of linguistic and cultural diversity, particularly through the promotion of minority languages. In this book, Fraṅois Grin provides an innovative treatment based on policy analysis, as a way of building bridges between the sociolinguistic and legal-institutional perspectives on minority language policy. He draws on language economics and education economics in balancing the discourse of linguistic human rights with the examination of resource allocation. While this approach can be applied to many minority languages which are in a sometimes critical situation, the focus for this book is the European continent and the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Two distinguished practitioners in this area, Donall Ó Riag̀in and Regina Jensdttir, also contribute chapters and the text of the Charter is given in full. Academic researchers in language planning and language policy, ethnicity, culture and identity, as well as professionals involved in the implementation of regional, national and international programmes for the protection of minority languages, will find this book offers a fresh perspective and a wide range of practical tools for policy development Front Matter....Pages i-xii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction and Overview....Pages 3-18 Language Policy....Pages 19-51 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 The Charter: an Overview....Pages 55-68 Implementing the Charter: Organisational Issues....Pages 69-77 Front Matter....Pages 79-79 From Legal Texts to ‘Good Policy’....Pages 81-98 Effectiveness....Pages 99-116 Costs and Cost-Effectiveness....Pages 117-146 Democracy....Pages 147-162 A Walk-Through Example: Language Education Policy....Pages 163-190 Front Matter....Pages 191-191 Assessment and Perspectives....Pages 193-204 Back Matter....Pages 205-281 This book proposes an innovative treatment of minority language policies, by looking at them as policy options that can be methodically evaluated. The author applies the analytical concepts and technical tools of policy analysis to guide the reader through a step-by-step application of notions such as effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, with particular reference to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The thrust of this book is deeply interdisciplinary, and links the evaluation exercise to sociolinguistic, political and legal considerations.