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Department of Linguistics
Department of African Studies
Proposal „PluS“
When Plurilingual Speakers Encounter
Unilingual Environments.
Migrants from African Countries in Vienna: Language Practices and Institutional Communication
Authors Busch, Brigitta; Schicho, Walter; Spitzl, Karlheinz; Slezak,
Gabriele; Rienzner, Martina
www.sprachmittlung.at
Funded by
Resarch Unit for Plurilingualism
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Abstract Transcultural communication in public administration and judiciary areas is associated with highly complex linguistic practices. In this specific environment, officials with unilingual, orthographic and normative communication skills often encounter speakers of a plurilingual, heterographic and dynamic background. Moreover, diversified ways of speaking and incongruent frames of reference may add to the complexity of this situation. Although required by law, authorities and courts often lack the expertise to establish meaningful conversation with migrants from African countries. In many cases the authorities have difficulty determining the correct designation for the languages in question in order to arrange for an interpreter. By an act of unnaming, i. e. literally "declassifying" them as "vernaculars", these languages are made virtually irrelevant. Migrants, too, are often unaware of the consequences when placed in situations where a restrictive alternative language (L2) is used. The results of both such behaviours are costly, time consuming, and detrimental to people and society.
The issue of plurilingualism in public administration and judiciary areas has to be approached from a linguistic rights angle. However, no such research has been conducted in Austria so far. This study has been designed to bridge this gap by making the plurilingual repertoires of these migrants visible (voices heard), thus enabling authorities to comply with human rights by guaranteeing equal access to the law. Moreover, this project is of particular relevance to both social cohesion (inclusion) and economic performance (cost reduction). This area of research calls for the integration of a wide variety of perspectives and approaches. Therefore, this proposal bridges applied linguistics, African studies and human rights research in a transdisciplinary manner. The research questions to be addressed are: (1) What relevance do plurilingual repertoires have for functional communication with migrants from Africa in public administration and judiciary? (2) How do the participating agents assess this issue? (3) How and by what means can the topic of plurilingualism be promoted within the leading sociopolitical discourse in Vienna?
This project will apply educative methods of action research based on triangulation. A threefold approach has been adopted: establishing language biographies of the agents involved, participant observation through buddying schemes, and work with texts. The study is based on an innovative integrative approach of discourse analysis and biography research. It is centered on migrants from African countries who have been disproportionately represented in the public eye due to constant and excessive negative imagery in the media and in politics. The expertise gained can be integrated into Vienna's diversity policy, and by doing so raise awareness of existing plurilingual resources and contribute to improving communication in authorities and courts.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Zusammenfassung
Transkulturelle Gerichts‐ und Behördenkommunikation ist an äußerst komplexe linguistische Verhaltensweisen gekoppelt. Dabei treffen vielfach Behördenvertreter_innen mit einsprachigem, orthographischem und normativem Kommunikationsrepertoire auf Sprecher_innen mit mehrsprachigem, heterographischem und äußerst dynamischem Kommunikationshintergrund. Zusätzlich können unterschiedliche Sprechweisen und inkongruente Referenzrahmen die Situation verkomplizieren. Trotz ihres gesetzlichen Auftrags gelingt den Gerichten und Behörden sinnvolle Kommunikation mit Migrant_innen aus afrikanischen Ländern nur selten. Vielfach ist es für sie nicht einmal möglich, das Sprachenrepertoire sinnvoll zu benennen und hinsichtlich translatorischer Bedarfserhebung einzuordnen. Die so erfolgte Entnennung („afrikanische Dialekte“) führt zum unmittelbaren Ausschluss dieser Ressourcen. Auch seitens der Migrant_innen besteht mangelndes Bewusstsein über die Wahl eines für sie restringenten Sprachcodes (z. B. Englisch). Die daraus resultierenden Konsequenzen und Folgekosten sind enorm.
Die Bedeutung mehrsprachiger Repertoires bei Gerichten und Behörden, unter dem besonderen Gesichtspunkt der Menschenrechte, wurde in Österreich bislang noch nicht untersucht. Das vorliegende Projekt wird diese Forschungslücke schließen und mehrsprachige Repertoires sichtbar (hörbar) machen, um im Sinne der Menschenrechte gleichberechtigten Auftritt vor dem Gesetz zu gewährleisten. Zusätzlich ist dieses Projekt auch gesellschaftlich (Integration) und ökonomisch (Kostenvermeidung) relevant. Eine Untersuchung derart komplexer Verhaltensweisen erfordert die Verschränkung unterschiedlichster Perspektiven, was durch transdisziplinäre Kooperation von Angewandter Sprachwissenschaft, Afrikawissenschaften und Menschenrechtsforschung auch gegeben ist. Die zu beantwortenden Forschungsfragen sind: (1) Welche Bedeutung haben mehrsprachige Repertoires von Migrant_innen aus afrikanischen Ländern für das Gelingen von Kommunikation bei Gerichten und Behörden? (2) Welche Bedeutung messen die an der Kommunikation beteiligten Akteur_innen selbst diesen Repertoires bei? (3) Wie kann das Thema Mehrsprachigkeit innerhalb des soziopolitischen Leitdiskurses in Wien an Bedeutung gewinnen?
Die Umsetzung des Projekts erfolgt mittels edukativer Methoden der Aktionsforschung, basierend auf Triangulation: Erstellung von Sprachenbiographien aller Beteiligter, teinehmende Beobachtung anhand von Buddying‐Kooperationen, und textbasierte Arbeit. Die Auswertung erfolgt aufgrund der Methoden der Diskurs‐ und Biographieanalyse. Im Raum Wien sind Migrant_innen aus afrikanischen Ländern aufgrund rassistischer Instrumentalisierung im öffentlichen Bewusstsein überproportional präsent, wodurch einer Problemlösung urbangesellschaftlich große Bedeutung zukommt. Die Expertise dieses Projekts könnte direkt in die Wiener Diversitätspolitik einfließen und so zu größerem Bewußtsein hinsichtlich der vorhandenen mehrsprachigen Ressourcen beitragen.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Content
1. Key challenges and state of the art ............................................................................. 5
2. Objectives of the project, problem choice and research question(s) ............ 7
3. Methodological approaches ............................................................................................ 8
4. Bridging disciplines ......................................................................................................... 10
5. Work plan / Project Design .......................................................................................... 11
6. Relevance and prospective benefits ......................................................................... 25
References ................................................................................................................................ 26
Project Team ........................................................................................................................... 28
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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1. Key challenges and state of the art Sociolinguistic research has shown that plurilingualism is the norm in many societies throughout the world [1]. In recent decades, globalization processes and their impact on flight, migration and free movement of people have also led to a highly diversified linguistic environment in Vienna. Transcultural contact between migrants and public authorities and courts is particularly demanding with regards to communication. However, the impact and functionality of plurilingual repertoires of migrants in institutional communication have rarely been studied. The few studies available so far showed a highly complex and dynamic field of interaction [1‐5].
Meaningful communication largely depends upon mutual recognition of the participants’ linguistic resources and competence. In this specific environment, officials with unilingual, orthographic and normative communication skills often encounter speakers of a plurilingual, heterographic and dynamic background. Moreover, diversified ways of speaking (plotting, story‐telling and listening) and incongruent frames of reference (epistemes, intertextuality and evocative potentials) may add to the complexity of this situation, in which interpreters are usually pivotal actors (interpretive refraction) and recording clerks frequently among the decision makers (agency of the archive) [6].
In the highly asymmetrical context of, e. g., asylum hearings, even frames of reference on one and the same background topic may be divergent and conflicting. Intelligence gathered by country profilers may be completely incongruent with the migrants’ own common sense information which is only relevant to their individual lives. If the authorities quiz the migrants on these profiles by asking them, gameshow‐like, names of cities, mountains and rivers, these frames may slip even further [5].
This study is centered on migrants from African countries who have been disproportionately represented in the public eye due to constant and excessive negative imagery in the media and in politics. These migrants belong to a marginalised group of society whose rights and opportunities in life are fragile. Although required by law, authorities and courts often lack the expertise to establish meaningful conversation with them. In many cases the authorities have difficulty determining the correct designation for the languages in question in order to arrange for an interpreter. By an act of unnaming, i. e. literally ‘declassifying’ them as ‘vernaculars’, these languages are made virtually irrelevant. The migrants, too, are often unaware of the consequences when placed in situations where an alternative language (L2) is used which restricts their communication skills (i. e. their ability to make themselves fully understood).
In the case, for example, of asylum hearings, applicants are faced with huge institutional pressure to tell stories in specific ways – the outcome of the procedure is almost completely based on (perceptions of) the cogency and coherence of the stories they tell (vera/credibilis) [1]. The shapes of their narratives cannot be separated from their content: they are shaped to a large extent by the resources people have for telling them, what can be told depends on how one can tell it. In the case of plurilingual speakers,
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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whose linguistic background offers not only one single L1 but includes several languages (LN) and non‐standardized language varieties (LNX), making the proper language choice seems to be vital [7]. Obviously, complex stories become even more complex when they are told in languages which are uncomfortable for the speakers, especially when related to traumatic experience.
This proposal’s predecessor ’Language Choice in criminal and asylum procedures with participants from African countries of origin in Austria’, by Walter Schicho, Gabriele Slezak and Martina Rienzner, provided the first insight into the crucial issue of language choice when compromised [7]. Its preliminary results clearly showed that further research into the functionality and applicability of plurilingual repertoires in relation to predominantly unilingual environments is needed. Moreover, it also revealed that the consequences of communication failure are costly, time consuming, and detrimental to people and society.
In order to ensure equality before the law and equal access to justice, the issue of plurilingualism in public administration and judiciary areas has to be approached from a linguistic rights angle, especially in relation to Article 6 (3a) ECHR. However, no such research has been conducted in Austria so far. Although bilingual institutional communication with migrants has gained importance in interpreting studies in recent years [6, 8], little attention has been given to narrative‐linguistic diversity and plurilingual speaker repertoires [3]. African languages or African varieties of international languages have not been taken into consideration so far.
In sociolinguistics, there has been considerable research effort in relation to unilingual institutional communication in the past decades. Ruth Wodak’s pioneering research work from the early 1970s on language practices of defendants in courts marks the beginning of sociolinguistic analysis in this particular field in Austria, and also of what was later to become the ‘Vienna School of Critical Discourse Analysis’ [9].
Plurilingualism, too, has been a major topic, but mainly with regard to education and everyday life. As already mentioned above, only few international scholars have so far paid attention to migrants’ plurilingual repertoires and their functionality in public administration and judiciary areas [1‐5]. In accordance with the state of the art, this transdisciplinary research project will apply educative methods of action research based on triangulation. One of this project’s main features will be the establishment of language biographies of the agents involved (see subchapter 2.3). This approach stimulates both reflection and awareness and positions, as well as addresses, the participants as experts on their own linguistic lives. Brigitta Busch is an internationally leading expert in this particular field of research [10].
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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2. Objectives of the project, problem choice and
research question(s) In transcultural communication our familiar frames of reference (acquired through socialization/enculturation) are to a certain extent dysfunctional. Initial feelings of surprise and uncertainty are often followed by generalizations, attributions, prejudices and stereotypes, aimed at overcoming doubt and getting back in control of the situation. Obviously, such practices do not contribute to mutual understanding but, on the contrary, frequently lead to misunderstanding and communication failure [11, 12, 13].
Transcultural communication in public administration and judiciary areas is highly asymmetric and associated with complex language practices. Meaningful communication largely depends upon mutual recognition of the participants’ linguistic resources and competence. It often happens that the only thing the communicative partners understand is that they literally misunderstand each other. One of the involved judges put it like that: “We quite rarely see meaningful conversation between defendant and judge, if [migrants from African countries] are involved.” [14]
The migrants’ language resources are often made virtually irrelevant by an act of unnaming, i. e. literally ‘declassifying’ them as ‘vernaculars’. In this process ‘active voice’ is literally turned into ‘passive voice’ (voice lost) by the dominant actors in conversation. The results of such practices are costly, time consuming, and detrimental to people and society. This project focuses on migrants from African countries who have been disproportionately represented in the public eye due to constant and excessive negative imagery in the media and in politics.
It is, therefore, the objective of this research project (a) to raise awareness of plurilingual resources as a preventive measure against prejudices and stereotypes, which deny the individual’s full, complex humanity. The proper choice of language will not only empower migrants to make themselves understood, but also enable officials to perform their duties in accordance with the law, especially in relation to Article 6 (3a) ECHR [15]. The issue of plurilingualism in public administration and judiciary areas has to be approached from a linguistic rights angle. However, no such research has been conducted in Austria so far. To neglect or exclude the plurilingual repertoire of migrants from African countries means to deny them equality before the law and equal access to justice. In such a case, the judicial (and administrative) system is itself in danger of being generally stigmatized as inefficient, unreliable and untrustworthy. It goes without saying that the protection of human rights includes the protection of linguistic rights. From this it follows that (b) the existing research gap needs to be bridged. This will contribute to a better understanding of the functionality and potential of plurilingualism in public administration and judiciary areas in Vienna. In this context, it is the researcher’s objective (c) to make both existent resources and hidden ideologies visible. In the examination of files and records special attention will be given to references dealing with communication issues. In reference to the EU’s guiding principle of diversity within unity (multivoicedness) this project will (d) contribute to improving institutional communication with migrants from African countries in Vienna.
In order to reach these objectives the major research questions to be addressed are: (1) What relevance do plurilingual repertoires have for functional communication with migrants from Africa in public authorities and courts? (2) How do the participating agents themselves assess this relevance? (3) How can the issue of plurilingualism be effectively promoted within the leading sociopolitical discourse in Vienna?
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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3. Methodological approaches This project investigates plurilingual language practices of migrants from African countries in public adminstration and judiciary areas in Vienna on a human rights‐based approach [16]. The research team’s guiding principles can be outlined as follows: (1) transdisciplinary (applied linguistics & African Studies & human rights research), (2) integrative (theory & practice), (3) inclusive (research with agents) (4) dual (investigative & educative), and (5) action‐oriented (language biographies & buddying schemes) [17].
The agents that will be involved in this project are (a) the individual members of the research team, (b) migrants from African countries as agents in public administration and judiciary areas in Vienna, (c) governmental agents (judges, administrative or law enforcement officials), and (d) intermediate agencies (legal advisors, interpreters, NGO representatives).
This project is oriented to both basic and applied research. In order to properly address the posed research questions (see subchapter 2.2) this project will apply educative methods of action research based on triangulation. A threefold approach has been adopted: (1) establishment of language biographies of the agents involved, in order to make existing plurilingual repertoires and associated attitudes/beliefs visible [10, 18]; (2) participant observation [19] from three different angles – migrant, interpreter, official – through buddying schemes in order to gain a better understanding of what the authorities and courts are doing in their engagement with plurilingual speakers from African countries, and (3) work with a corpus of legally relevant texts, i. e. examination of files, records, notices and acts of law with particular attention to plurilingualism and language issues. The study is based on an innovative integrative approach of discourse analysis [1, 20, 21, 22] and biography research [23, 24, 25].
The language biographies will be established in a series of workshops to which the involved agents will be invited (see chapter 2.5). A biographical account can offer insights into how individuals experience the broader social context and the language regimes in which they develop their language practices. It is primarily interested in the social dimensions of language practice that it helps to reveal. In the process of establishing these biographies, participants are positioned and addressed as experts on their own linguistic lives. They are asked to reflect what they normally do, how they normally keep in contact, how they normally communicate with each other, how they normally express themselves, and which codes and languages they normally use in various situations of everyday life. While reflecting, they then associate their individual linguistic repertoires and language behaviour with colours, shapes and/or motifs and portray
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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their linguistic self (i. e. their individualized‐socialized‐encultured linguistic self). This method brings to the fore those aspects of personal language use which are meaningful to oneself (i. e. uncovering/transforming so far hidden value systems). Changing from a narrative into a creative mode enables individuals to express additional dimensions, such as simultaneity and space, which are usually experienced with language use. During this process, the individual’s preferred use of or attitudes towards different language varieties, motivations and objectives for learning new languages, or images of one’s future repertoire may all become literally visible (visualization). In this context, it is important to note that the drawn language portrayals are not interpreted according to a certain set of rules. In fact, the process of portraying one’s language biography activates the individual’s reflective self‐awareness, enabling them to share and interpret their own creation. Within the interactive group setting, all participants will be encouraged to share, discuss and interpret their individual portrayals. The presentations of these portrayals will be accompanied by complementary questioning [10, 18].
In order to gain a better understanding of the encounter between plurilingual speakers in unilingual environments this research project also includes participant observation [19, 26, 27]. The researchers will accompany a migrant, an interpreter and an official over a period of two months, at least once a week, during their daily bureaucratic routines in public authorities and courts. The data will be complemented by a collection of legally relevant texts, i. e. administrative and legal files, notices, records, decisions, verdicts, and acts of law, which, due to the circumstances, are expected to contain references to plurilingualism or language issues.
The analytical framework for assessment and evaluation integrates a human rights‐based approach [16], biography research [23, 24, 25] and discourse analysis [1, 20, 21, 22]. Biographical analysis gives us a good view of individuals (their identities, life trajectories, orders of indexicality), and their complex and dynamic, constantly shifting relations to others, to highly stratified and boundless social contexts, and to the local and global environment as a whole. Discourse analysis helps us to understand the often hidden nature of these particular relations with regard to power, asymmetry and ideology, expressed in language practices. The application of a human rights‐based approach may be seen as an effective measure for balancing asymmetry and inequality with regard to the law and justice. This combined framework will allow a critical and clear view on processes that, until now, have gone largely unnoticed or have been strategically masked in order to maintain and/or legitimize existing power relations and asymmetries to the disadvantage of people at the very margins of society.
The last research question on how the issue of plurilingualism can be effectively promoted within the leading sociopolitical discourse in Vienna will have to be addressed and worked out in regular meetings with the involved agencies, in joint academic workshops, as well as international symposia and conferences. Establishing contact, in this regard, with representatives from the media and decision makers from politics will complement this collaborative effort.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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4. Bridging disciplines Transcultural communication in public administration and judiciary areas is associated with highly complex language practices. Research in this field requires the use of a dynamic integrative model that covers a wide variety of perspectives. This project is based on a transdisciplinary approach that bridges applied linguistics, African studies and human rights research. All involved experts have long‐term hands‐on experience in transdisciplinary research. Brigitta Busch is one of the leading international experts on biography research in plurilingual environments, language policies and migration research. Additionally, she has extensive expertise in other fields, such as transcultural communication, plurilingual awareness in education, and human and minority rights. Walter Schicho is a leading expert on history, sociolinguistics and communication research, with focus on African societies. His expertise to this project will cover the analysis of historical processes and interdependencies, as well as the complex field of intertextuality, frames of reference, and production of meaning in the home narratives of migrants from African countries. Barbara Liegl brings in‐depth expertise in the field of fundamental and human rights research, as well as migration and integration policies. Her particular focus on racism theory and anti‐discrimination law will provide analytic expertise on issues related to equality before the law and equal access to justice. Dieter Halwachs is an internationally recognized linguist focusing on language diversity, identity processes, minority language policies, and plurilingual research in urban settings. This joint project is directly based on the findings of its predecessor, ‘Language Choice in Criminal and Asylum Procedures in Austria’ [7], by Walter Schicho, Gabriele Slezak, who has outstanding skills and competencies in West African languages, language policies and sociolinguistics, and Martina Rienzner, who is an award‐winning researcher with particular focus on North‐South relations and International Development. Additionally, Karlheinz Spitzl will provide critical input from the perspectives of translation and interpreting studies and discourse analysis. Margit Ammer completes this research team with extensive legal expertise on linguistic, human and fundamental rights. It is important to note that the research team’s overall academic work has covered all regions of the African continent and includes the languages Hausa, Kiswahili, Wolof, Jula and Bamanan. With regard to the key prerequisite of interaction between theory and practice, all three senior researchers have shown an excellent track record in networking and co‐operating with administrative and judicial bodies so far. In particular, the already mentioned predecessor project has established widespread contacts and maintains ongoing relations with a wide range of authorities and agencies in Vienna. Joint academic workshops and regular meetings with the involved agencies will ensure the success of this collaborative effort.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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5. Work plan / Project Design
Work package
number
1 Work package title Project Management
Working hours PhD Students: 100 h Senior personnel: 100 h Total: 200 h
Start date: Month 1
Objectives:
To ensure transdisciplinary co‐operation between the members of the project team.
To ensure management and decision‐making structures of the project.
To ensure that the objectives of the project are achieved in a timely manner and
within the budgetary limits.
Working steps:
1. Team building: At the start of the project a kick‐off workshop will be organized during
which tasks and responsibilities will be allocated between the team members.
2. To ensure that time lines and milestones are kept and effective communication
between the team is maintained, the management procedures will include weekly
meetings of the project team and half‐yearly workshops with all partners and
collaborators (‐> Work package 6). In addition, a mid‐term evaluation of the project
will be carried out and regular reports will be delivered in accordance with the WWTF
guidelines.
3. Completion of the project by the means of a final report, addressed to WWTF.
Deliverables:
Minutes of kick‐off workshop;
Regular reports to WWTF, including periodic progress and financial reports.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
2 Work package title Literature Research
Working hours PhD Students: 400 h Post Doc: 130 h Total: 530 h
Start date: Month 1
Objective:
To provide an overview of existing, relevant projects, initiatives and scientific publications
on the following three topics (and, if available, integrated approaches thereof):
“Migration and plurilingualism”
“Transcultural aspects of institutional communication”
“Language practices in public administration and judiciary areas”
Working Steps:
1. Preliminary research, identification and selection of relevant publications, projects
and initiatives based on three levels: a) Austria; b) European Union; c) International.
2. Reading and summarizing literature.
3. Overall summarizing and synthesizing.
Deliverables:
Bibliography;
Collection of excerpts;
Detailed list of relevant (scientific and non‐scientific) projects and initiatives.
(all to be published online at http://www.sprachmittlung.at)
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
3 Work package title Language Portrayals
and Biographies
Working hours PhD Students: 960 h Post Doc: 240 h Senior Personnel: 200 h Total: 1400 h
Start date: Month 1
Objectives:
1. To present the language biography method to the project team (see subchapter 2.3).
2. To develop a qualitative questionnaire (see subchapter 2.3), which will complement the
interpretation of the language portrayals.
3. To gain access to Vienna‐based training facilities for administrative officials, judges, law
enforcement personnel and court interpreters, as well as NGOs, for implementation of
workshops.
4. To hold workshops, collect language portrayals, educate, and raise awareness of
linguistic resources by making plurilingual repertoires visible.
5. To obtain insight into how migrants from African countries, as well as personnel in
Vienna‐based authorities and courts, experience the social context in which they
develop their language practices and apply their repertoires.
6. To obtain new insight into how awareness of plurilingualism can be raised in Vienna.
Working Steps
1. Before starting with the collection of language portrayals, a joint initial workshop will
be organized – in co‐operation with Dieter Halwachs of theResearch Unit for
Plurilingualism at the Language Center treffpunkt sprachen (University of Graz) – where
(a) Brigitta Busch will present the language‐biographical method to the project
team and (b) a qualitative questionnaire will be developed for complementary
purposes [10].
2. Executives in charge of training facilities and NGOs will be contacted and
recruited. The project team will be able to access a well‐established network of
relevant contacts which was built during its predecessor project “Choice of Language in
Asylum Hearings and Court Proceedings in Austria” (Dept. of African Studies, University
of Vienna) [7]. It is planned to hold workshops in the following institutions and training
facilities:
Administrative Academy of the City of Vienna
Association of Austrian Judges
Austrian Association of Certified Court Interpreters (ÖVGD)
Austrian Ministry of the Interior’s Federal Security Academy (SIAK)
Austrian Federal Asylum Office
European Training Center for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC)
(The ETC offers complementary courses for and judges in training.)
NGOs: Ute Bock Association for Refugees,
Counselling Centre for Deserters and Refugees,
“Asyl in Not” Refugee Organization,
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Refugee Accommodation Centre „Integrationshaus“
“Fair & Sensibel” (Association of Law Enforcement Officials and Migrants)
3. Implementation of the workshops (collection of language portrayals and
biographies) with the following agents:
Migrants originating from African countries (5 workshops)
Officials of the Vienna City Administration (2 workshop)
Certified court interpreters for English and French (2 workshops)
Ad‐hoc court interpreters for African languages (2 workshops)
Officials of the Federal Asylum Office in Vienna (1 workshop)
Judges operating in different courts in Vienna (1 workshop)
Law enforcement officials (1 workshop)
NGO representatives and legal advisors who are active in migration‐related fields (1 workshop)
The workshops will contain the following sections:
Introduction to the topic of plurilingualism. Drawing of language portrayals by the participants. Presentation of language portrayals by the participants, complementary questions by the researchers and final group discussion (audio‐recorded).
Informed consent will be obtained from all participants in the study.
4. Transcription of the audio‐recorded workshop sections and writing of observation
protocols.
5. Assessment and evaluation of results by means of discourse and biographical
analysis (see subchapter 2.3) with particular regard to the following issues:
Values ascribed to language practices and repertoires (orders of indexicality; attitudes and beliefs);
How individuals experience specific language practices in their individual social and/or institutional
contexts. Special attention will be given to:
o the impact of individual migration trajectories and transnational networks (migrants),
o the impact of everyday life in Vienna (migrants),
o the impact of professional habitus (interpreters, judges, administrative and law enforcement
officials, NGO representatives, legal advisors).
Effects of drawing language portrayals on images of and attitudes to different languages and language
varieties.
6. Production of a working paper (to be published at http://www.sprachmittlung.at),
and joint email discussion with practitioners and other researchers.
Deliverables:
15 transcribed workshop group discussions and approximately 100 language
portrayals.
Informed consent files from all participants.
Working paper with preliminary results and answers to the research questions posed
in subchapter 2.2.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
4 Work package title Participant
Observation
Working hours PhD Students: 700 h Post Doc: 350 h Total: 1050 h
Start date: Month 5
Objective:
To capture and to make visible plurilingual daily life in courts and public authorities in
Vienna.
Working steps:
1. In the course of the workshops, during which will language portrayals will be collected
(‐> Work package number 3), some participants will be asked for further participation
in the research project. It is planned to accompany 3 persons over a period of two
months, at least once a week, during their daily bureaucratic routines in public
authorities and courts (1 migrant, 1 official, and 1 ad‐hoc interpreter for a selected
African language). Participant observation [19, 26, 27] based on a buddying scheme
will be combined with qualitative interviews. Informed consent will be obtained from
all 3 participants.
2. Assessment and evaluation of results by means of discourse and biographical
analysis (see subchapter 2.3) with particular regard to the following issues:
Strategies used for dealing with communication problems/failure;
Strategies used for dealing with plurilingualism;
Text trajectories and encontextualization practices (records, files);
Required resources to realize intended functions;
Institutional context (asymmetric relations, role behavior);
Professional habitus (interpreters, judges, administrative and law enforcement
officials,
NGO representatives, legal advisors).
3. Production of a working paper (to be published at http://www.sprachmittlung.at),
and joint email discussion with practitioners and other researchers.
Deliverables:
Observation records, interview texts and research logs;
3 informed consent files;
Working paper with preliminary results and answers to the research questions posed
in subchapter 2.2.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
5 Work package title Legal discourse on
rights relating to the
use of language
Working hours PhD Students: 750 h Post Doc: 150 h Total: 900 h
Start date: Month 7
Objectives:
(1) To establish a collection of
legal norms regulating the use of language by migrants in written and oral
communication before authorities and courts
o on a national level (e.g. Allgemeines Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz 1991 (AVG)
[General Administrative Procedure Act 1991]; Asylgesetz 2005 [Asylum Act
2005], Niederlassungs‐ und Aufenthaltsgesetz 2005 [Settlement and
Residence Act 2005]; equal treatment legislation; Strafprozessordnung [code
of criminal procedure]; Bundes‐Verfassungsgesetz [Federal Constitutional
Law]);
o on an international level (in particular human rights instruments such as the
European Convention on Human Rights; Geneva Refugee Convention);
o on an EU level (e.g. relevant directives relating to asylum and migration
policy, Fundamental Rights Charter)
Interpretation of legal norms mentioned in (1)(a) by competent bodies at a
national level (e.g. Asylum Court, Constitutional Court, Administrative Court;
Supreme Court of Justice), an EU level (European Court of Justice), and an
international level (e.g. European Court of Human Rights; UNHCR Executive
Committee).
Written (legally binding and non‐binding) communication issued by national
authorities and courts, in particular individual decisions (e.g. Bescheide [decisions
in the administrative procedure], verdicts) but also information leaflets (e.g.
handed out in the asylum procedure or in aliens’ police‐related procedures).
(2) To identify and select all sections of the law which are directly relevant to the human
rights obligations of authorities and courts in Vienna under international, EU and
Austrian law, and the corresponding human rights claims of migrants.
(3) To compare human rights obligations as identified in (2) with current Austrian
judicial practice (inconsistencies).
(4) If the research comes to the conclusion that rights are not realized: to analyze
structural causes for non‐realization.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Working steps:
1. Searching and selecting relevant legal texts;
2. Building a corpus;
3. Analyzing the current Austrian judicial practice (status quo) on a human
rights‐based approach;
4. Analyzing the corpus by combining discourse analysis and human rights‐based
approach (see subchapter 2.3) with particular regard to the following issues:
Clarity/transparency of language (bureaucratic code) – user and linguistic
perspective;
Strategies of agents in dealing with contradictions, inconsistencies and
ambiguities;
Legitimatization strategies in decision‐making processes (representation of
evidence; drafting of legal statements; aspects of how local utterances are
turned into binding facts [28], mobilization of expertise, etc.)
5. Production of a working paper (to be published at http://www.sprachmittlung.at),
and joint email discussion with practitioners and other researchers.
Deliverables:
Collection of relevant legal texts;
Working paper with preliminary results and answers to the research questions posed
in subchapter 2.2.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
6 Work package title Transdisciplinary
co‐operation and
joint evaluation of
results
Working hours PhD Students: 480 h Post Doc: 200 h Senior Personnel: 200 h Total: 880 h
Start date: Month 1
Objectives:
To jointly discuss, summarize, asses and evaluate the results which have been
obtained in the work packages 2, 3, 4 and 5.
To ensure communication structures and communication flow, and to involve all
team members in the most important working steps.
To ensure dissemination of outcomes and results to all participants in the research
process.
Description of work:
To achieve the objectives mentioned above, a continuing communication between (a) the
members of the project team and (b) between the project team and its collaborators is of
great importance. This will be achieved by the following measures:
Weekly team meetings to monitor the ongoing progress, and to discuss research
findings, planning, organizational, administrative, financial or staff matters,
upcoming problems and deliverables.
4 workshops with participation of all partners and collaborators: 1 workshop at
the start of the project (month 1), 1 workshop for discussing methodology (see
work package number 2; month 1), 1 workshop for discussing results (month 14)
and 1 concluding workshop at the end of the project (month 24).
Before starting to write research reports and drawing up the planned publications,
the results will be presented to and discussed with the practitioners and
participants involved (migrants, interpreters, judges, administrative and law
enforcement officials, NGO representatives, legal advisors, training facility
executives and other research institutions).
Deliverables:
Minutes of the weekly team meetings;
Minutes of the 4 workshops;
Working paper with results and answers to the research questions posed in subchapter
2.2 (based on the discussions with the participants who were involved in the data
collection process).
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
7 Work package title Training & Capacity
and Awareness
Building
Working hours PhD Students: 1000 h Post Doc: 250 h Senior Personnel: 150 h Total: 1400 h
Start date: Month 13
Objectives
To draw attention to plurilingual speech repertoires in Vienna;
To make visible the language resources of migrants from African countries in Vienna
that were observed during the research process;
To strengthen institutional communication capacities of migrants in Vienna;
To strengthen institutional communication capacities of public authorities and courts in
Vienna.
Working steps:
These working steps will be developed in co‐operation with Dieter Halwachs of the
Research Unit for Plurilingualism at the Language Center treffpunkt sprachen (University
of Graz).
1. Launching an educative, awareness raising interactive web platform at
http://www.sprachmittlung.at, using multimedia data such as audio files in different
African languages, language portrayals, pieces of text in different African languages (e.
g. Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
2. Drawing up an educative booklet for public authorities, courts and NGOs in Vienna and
presentation of the booklet in the Vienna public library and the Vienna city hall.
3. Joint applied research course on the functionality of migrants’ plurilingual resources
in the urban area of Vienna (at the Departments of Linguistics, African Studies,
International Development and Law, all University of Vienna)
4. Co‐operation with the media (der Standard; die Presse; Falter, Biber, Südwind; Datum;
Radio Orange; Radio Afrika; Ö1)
5. Development of innovative training modules for administrative and law enforcement
officials, as well as judges in Vienna in co‐operation with The “Living Books” Initiative
Vienna. In order to draw attention to existing training methods with regard to
plurilingual repertoires and resources (see work package 3) an innovative offer will be
made to training facilities: Officials will be able to meet plurilingual migrants in a less
asymmetric setting. Migrants from African countries will be recruited as “Plurilingual
Living Books” and introduced to training seminars [29, 30].
Deliverables:
Interactive plurilingual web platform at http://www.sprachmittlung.at.
Plurilingual multimedia files (audio files, pictures, texts).
Educative booklet on plurilingualism for public authorities, courts and NGOs in Vienna.
Concept for a training module on plurilingualism for public authorities and courts in
Vienna (“Plurilingual Living Books”).
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
8 Work package title Scientific
publications and
presentation of
results at
conferences
Working hours PhD Students:
1000 h
Post Doc: 320
h
Senior Personnel:
100 h
Total: 1540
h
Start date: Month 13
Objectives
To bridge a research gap in the field of institutional communication (language
practices and the impact and functionality of plurilingual repertoires of migrants in
courts and public authorities);
To provide an input to the debate on methodological issues in applied linguistics;
To promote the careers of young scientists.
Description of work:
Apart from the presentation of results at international conferences, the research team
will produce several publications in scientific journals on the following topics:
When plurilingual speakers encounter unilingual environments. Migrants from
African countries in Vienna: Language practices and institutional communication;
Innovative transdisciplinary research methods (language biographies and
portrayals; combined framework of discourse analysis, biographical research and a
human rights‐based approaches);
Linguistic rights.
Deliverables:
3‐5 submitted publications in international scientific journals.
Up to 10 contributions/poster presentations at international conferences.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Work package
number
9 Work package title Networking
Working hours PhD Students:
340 h
Post Doc: 160
h
Senior Personnel:
150 h
Total: 650
h
Start date: Month 1
Objectives
To join up, integrate and co‐operate with other (scientific and non‐scientific) projects and
initiatives.
Description of work:
The project team can access a network of well‐established international contacts of the
principal investigator and the partners involved (see chapter 1 and the CVs in the
appendix). Moreover, the project team is also able to access a wide network of relevant
national contacts which was built during its predecessor project “Choice of Language in
Asylum Hearings and Court Proceedings in Austria” (Dept. of African Studies, University of
Vienna) [7].
Through continuing joint email discussions with other researchers and practitioners, the
launch of an interactive web platform, and participation in conferences, the networking
activities of the project will be guaranteed, both on a national and international level.
Furthermore, it is planned to organize a concluding transdisciplinary workshop in
Vienna with the participation of researchers and practitioners from other European
countries.
Deliverables:
Minutes of concluding workshop;
Final report with results and answers to the research questions posed in
subchapter 2.2.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
‐ 22 ‐
Project time schedule
WP–no.
Work package title
Year 1 Year 2
Months Months
1‐2 3‐4 5‐6 7‐8 9‐10 11‐12 13‐14 15‐16 17‐18 19‐20 21‐22 23‐24
1 Project Management
2 Literature Research
3 Language Portrayals and Biographies
4 Participant Observation
5 Legal discourse on rights relating to the use of language
6 Transdisciplinary co‐operation and joint evaluation of results
7 Training & Capacity and Awareness Building
8 Scientific publications and presentation of results at conferences
9 Networking
Total of working hours 675 675 675 750 750 750 750 750 750 675 675 675
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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List of milestones
Milestone number
Milestone name Work package(s) involved
Expected date
Means of verification
1 Team building successfully completed.
WP 1 Month 1 Minutes of joint kick‐off workshop.
2 Access gained to training facilities and NGOs for implementation of workshops and workshops scheduled.
WP 3 Month 1,2
Agreements with training facilities and workshop schedules (timetable including locations).
3 Completion of workshops with language portrayals and biographies collected.
WP 3 Month 8 Data recorded, transcribed and stored.
4 Participants for participant observation successfully recruited.
WP 3, 4 Month 7 Participation agreement of 3 persons.
5 Completion of participant observation (buddying scheme).
WP 4 Month 12
Data recorded, transcribed and stored.
7 Corpus building of relevant legal texts, decision texts and files completed (human rights‐based approach).
WP 5 Month 10
Collection of relevant legal texts.
8 Summarizing, assessment and evaluation of results completed.
WP 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Month 16
Working paper with results and answers to the research questions posed in subchapter 2.2.
9 Training & capacity and awareness building completed.
WP 7 Month 24
Interactive web platform launched; plurilingual audio files recorded, booklet printed; newspaper articles appeared; radio broadcasts recorded, trial of “Plurilingual Living Books” documented.
10 Publication of results in scientific journals.
WP 8 Month 24
Articles submitted.
11 Presentation of results at international conferences.
WP 8 Month 24
Abstracts accepted and presentations conducted.
12 Completion of the project. WP 6, 9 Month 24
Minutes of concluding transdisciplinary workshop in Vienna.
Final report to WWTF
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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WP 1 Project
Management
Regularly reports to WWTF
WP 2 Literature Research
Bibliography;Excerpts
Interactive web platform (www.sprachmittlung.at)
WP 3 Language
Portrayals and Biographies
Working papers with preliminary results
WP 4 Participant
Observation
WP 5 Legal discourse on
rights relating to the use of language
WP 6 Trans-
disciplinary co-operation
and evaluation of results
Presentation to and
discussion of results with practicioners
and
WP 7: Training & Capacity Building
Weekly team
meetings
Workshops with all
partners and collaborators
Booklet
Concept for a training module
(„plurilingual living books“)
WP 8: Scientific
publications and
presentation of results at
conferences
Submitted publications
Lectures/ poster presentation at
international conferences
WP 9 Networking
Concluding transdiciplinary workshop in Vienna with
participation of researchers and
Flowchart
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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6. Relevance and prospective benefits Article 22 of the EU’s charter of fundamental rights, adopted in 2000, requires the EU member states to respect linguistic diversity and Article 21 prohibits discrimination based on language. Together with respect for individuals, openness towards other cultures, tolerance of others, respect for linguistic diversity is a core EU value [31, 32]. The issue of plurilingualism in public administration and judiciary areas has, therefore, to be approached from a linguistic rights angle. However, no such research has been conducted in Austria so far. This study has been designed to bridge this gap by making the plurilingual repertoires of migrants from African countries visible (voices heard), thus enabling public authorities and courts to comply with fundamental rights standards by guaranteeing equality before the law and equal access to justice. Moreover, it will contribute to a better understanding of the functionality and potentials of plurilingual repertoires in predominantly unilingual environments. This project will be trend‐setting by applying educative methods of action research (see subchapter 2.3). It will yield new insight into innovative ways of studying language practices in the highly asymmetric field of institutional communication. It will also effectively complement already existing plurilingualism research initiatives in Vienna, Graz and Klagenfurt which have their focus on education and everyday‐life settings [33‐38].
Moreover, this project is of particular relevance to both social cohesion (inclusion) and economic performance (cost reduction). If we consider the fact that institutional communication with migrants usually marks the beginning of a wide range of social interaction processes, we shall see that this study is of direct relevance to society. Communication failure may lead to marginalization, social exclusion and estrangement, and carries considerable potential for conflict. In contrast, meaningful conversation reduces the chances of discomfort and frustration, and improves job motivation and tolerance. If we consider delays, re‐scheduling or cancellation of hearings, replacement of lawyers or interpreters, erroneous verdicts, repeated proceedings, and the disproportionate rate of coercive measures – all due to communication failure – the economic relevance of this project is obvious. The most significant benefit of this project may be seen in terms of its impact on awareness of linguistic diversity. This initiative will contribute to the improvement of social interaction and to the development tolerance towards plurality in public administration and judiciary areas.
Vienna, Austria’s capital and hub, contains the highest density of federal and municipal public sector organizations. With regard to migration these bodies administer their legally assigned function as gate‐keepers through controlling access to Austrian society. This project focuses on migrants from African countries who have been disproportionately represented in the public eye due to constant and excessive negative imagery in the media and in politics. Since, in Austria, the majority of migrants from African countries live in Vienna, addressing this issue should be given top priority by urban policy makers [39].
What will institutional communication with migrants from African countries look like in 2020 Vienna? Participation is a powerful preventive measure against communities drifting apart. Talking with each other is the prerequisite for participation (inclusion). According to its historical responsibility, Vienna could lead the way in shaping a plurilingual urban environment, and thereby further strengthen social cohesion. The expertise gained can be integrated into Vienna’s diversity policy, and by doing so raise awareness of existing plurilingual resources, enhance capacity building, and contribute to improving institutional communication.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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References [1] Blommaert, Jan (2005): Discourse. A Critical Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[2] Codó, Eva (2008): Immigration and Bureaucratic Control. Language Practices in Public Administration. New York: De Gruyter.
[3] Maryns, Katrijn (2006): The Asylum Speaker. Language in the Belgian Asylum Procedure. Manchester: St. Jerome.
[4] Thetela, Pulie (2003): Discourse, culture and the law. The analysis of crosstalk in the Southern African bilingual courtroom. AILA Review 16, 78–88.
[5] Scheffer, Thomas (2001): Asylgewährung. Eine ethnographische Analyse des deutschen Asylverfahrens. Stuttgart: Lucius&Lucius.
[6] Kolb, Waltraud & Pöchhacker, Franz (2008): Interpreting in Asylum Appeal Hearings: Roles and Norms Revisited. In: Russell, Debra & Hale, Sandra (eds.): Interpreting in Legal Settings. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press, 26‐50.
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[9] Wodak, Ruth (1975): Das Sprachverhalten von Angeklagten bei Gericht. Ansätze zu einer soziolinguistischen Theorie der Verbalisierung. Kronberg/Ts.: Scriptor.
[10] Busch, Brigitta (2006): Language Biographies – approaches to multilingualism in education and linguistic research. In: Busch, Brigitta & Jardine, Aziza & Tjoutuku, Angelika (eds.): Language Biographies for Multilingual Learning. Cape Town: Praesa, 5‐17.
[11] van Dijk, Teun (2005): Contextual knowledge management in discourse production. A CDA perspective. In: Wodak, Ruth & Chilton, Paul (eds.): A New Agenda in (Critical) Discourse Analysis. (pp. 71‐100) Amsterdam: Benjamins, 71‐100.
[12] Schulz von Thun, Friedemann (1997): Miteinander reden I. Störungen und Klärungen. Reinbeck: Rowohlt.
[13] Sarangi, Srikant (1994): Intercultural or Not? Beyond Celebration of Cultural Differences in Miscommunication Analysis. In: Pragmatics 4 (3): 409‐429.
[14] Scheiber, Oliver (2005): Ungleiche Chancen. Eine Studie belegt eine härtere Strafpraxis bei afrikanischen Straftätern. Juridikum (3), 109.
[15] Council of Europe (1950): Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/005.htm [access date: 04/05/2010].
[16] Nowak, Manfred (2003): Introduction to the International Human Rights Regime. Leiden/Boston: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
[17] Reason, Peter & Bradbury, Hilary (eds.) (2008): The SAGE Handbook of Action Research: Participative Inquiry and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage.
[18] Busch, Brigitta (2008) Sprachenbiographien als Zugang zum interkulturellen Lernen: Erfahrungen aus einem Workshop mit SchülerInnen in Südafrika. In: Elisabeth Furch; Harald Eichelberger (Hg.) Kulturen, Sprachen, Welten. Fremdsein als pädagogische Herausforderung. Innsbruck, Wien, Bozen: Studienverlag, 139‐149.
[19] Kawulich, Barbara (2005): Participant Observation as a Data Collection Method. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 6(2), Art. 43. http://nbn‐resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114‐fqs0502430 [access date: 04/05/2010].
[20] Wodak, Ruth (ed.) (2009): Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. Los Angeles: Sage.
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[21] Van Leeuwen, Theo (2008): Discourse and Practice. New Tools for Critical Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press.
[22] Fairclough, Norman (2003): Analysing discourse. Textual analysis for social research. London: Routledge.
[23] Breckner, Roswitha (2005): Migrationserfahrung – Fremdheit – Biographie: Zum Umgang mit polarisierten Welten in Ost‐West‐Europa. Wiesbaden: VS ‐ Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften.
[24] Strasser, Sabine (2009). Bewegte Zugehörigkeiten. Nationale Spannungen, transnationale Praktiken und transversale Politik. Wien: Turia + Kant.
[25] Apitzsch, Ursula & Siouti, Irina (2007): Biographical Analysis as an Interdisciplinary. Research Perspective in the Field of Migration Studies. Frankfurt/Main: http://www.york.ac.uk/res/ researchintegration/Integrative_Research_Methods/Apitzsch%20Biographical%20Analysis%20April%20 2007.pdf [access date: 04/05/2010].
[26] Scheffer, Thomas (2002): Das Beobachten als sozialwissenschaftliche Methode – Von den Grenzen der Beobachtbarkeit und ihrer methodischen Bearbeitung. In: Doris Schaeffer, Doris & Müller‐Mundt, Gabriele (Hg.): Qualitative Forschung in den Gesundheits‐ und Pflegewissenschaften. Bern: Huber, 351‐374.
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[28] Scheffer, Thomas (2007): On procecdural discoursivation ‐ or how local utterances are turned into binding facts. Language & Communication, 27, 1‐27.
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[32] European Commission (2008): Multilingualism: An Asset for Europe and a Shared Commitment. Brussels. http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/pdf/com/2008_0566_en.pdf [access date: 04/05/2010].
[33] Busch, Brigitta & Busch, Thomas (2008): Von Menschen, Orten und Sprachen. Multilingual leben in Österreich. Klagenfurt/Celovec: Drava.
[34] Busch, Brigitta (2008) Mehrsprachige Bildung in Österreich: Ein Fokus auf Curricula, Lehr‐ und Lernmaterialien In: Jürgen Erfurt, Gabriele Budach und Melanie Kunkel (Hg.) Écoles plurilingues ‐ multilingual schools: Konzepte, Institutionen und Akteure. Internationale Perspektiven. Frankfurt/M.: Peter Lang, 81‐99.
[35] Busch, Brigitta (2007): Materials development for heterogeneous learner groups and intercultural learning. In: Neville, Alexander & Busch, Brigitta (eds.): Literacy and linguistic diversity in a global dimension. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing, 75‐91.
[36] Busch, Brigitta (2006): Homogeneity vs. heteroglossia. In: Alastair Pennycook & Makoni, Sinfree (eds.): Disinventing and reinventing language. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
[37] Schrammel, Barbara & Halwachs, Dieter W. & Ambrosch, Gerd (eds.) (2005): General and applied Romani linguistics: proceedings from the 6th International Conference on Romani Linguistics. München: Lincom Europa.
[38] James, Allan (Hg.) (2003): Vielerlei Zungen. Mehrsprachigkeit + Spracherwerb + Pädagogik + Literatur + Medien. Klagenfurt/Celovec: Drava Verlag.
[39] Fassmann, Heinz (2007): 2. Österreichischer Migrations‐ und Integrationsbericht 2001‐2006. Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen, demographische Entwicklungen, sozioökonomische Strukturen. Klagenfurt/Celovec: Drava.
WWTF Proposal, Diversity‐Identity Call 2010, Research Project ”PluS“
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Project Team:
Department of Linguistics, University of Vienna Sensengasse 3a, 1090 Vienna http://www.linguistics.at/
Brigitta Busch, principal investigator [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 41720
Department of African Studies, University of Vienna Spitalgasse 2, 1090 Vienna www.univie.ac.at/afrika
Walter Schicho, principal applicant [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 43212
Martina Rienzner, PhD student [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 43257
Gabriele Slezak, post doc [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 43257
Karlheinz Spitzl, PhD student [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 43257
Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights, Vienna Freyung 6, 1010 Vienna http://bim.lbg.ac.at
Barbara Liegl, partner [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 27434
Margit Ammer, PhD student [email protected] tel.: +43 1 4277 27462
treffpunkt sprachen – Research Unit for Plurilingualism, University of Graz
Johann‐Fux‐Gasse 30/1. Stock, 8010 Graz http://www.uni‐graz.at/treffpunktsprachen/
Dieter Halwachs, partner dieter.halwachs@uni‐graz.at tel. +43 316 380 2426