Standardizing Diversity : The Political Economy of Language Regimes / / Amy H. Liu

• Autore: Liu Amy H.
• Pubblicazione: Philadelphia : , : University of Pennsylvania Press, , [2015]; ©2015
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource : 22 illus
• Disciplina: 306.44/9598
• Soggetto topico: Language policy - Economic aspects - Southeast Asia; Language policy - Political aspects; Language policy - Economic aspects; Language and languages; Languages & Literatures; Philology & Linguistics
• Note generali: Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
• Nota di contenuto: Front matter -- Contents -- Note About Interviews -- Part I: Toward a Typology of Language Regimes -- Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Typology of Language Regimes -- Part II: Language Regime Choice -- Chapter 3. Language Regime Choice: Theory -- Chapter 4. Language Regime Choice: Evidence -- Part III: Economic Effects of Language Regimes -- Chapter 5. Economic Effects of Language Regimes: Theory -- Chapter 6. Mechanism 1: Social Capital -- Chapter 7. Mechanism 2: Foreign Capital -- Chapter 8. Conclusion: Standardizing Diversity -- Notes -- References -- Index -- Acknowledgments
• Sommario/riassunto: Languages have deep political significance beyond communication: a common language can strengthen cultural bonds and social trust, or it may exacerbate cultural differences and power imbalances. Language regimes that emerge from political bargains can centralize power by favoring the language of one ethnolinguistic group, share power by recognizing multiple mother tongues, or neutralize power through the use of a lingua franca. Cultural egoism, communicative efficiency, or collective equality determines the choice. As Amy H. Liu demonstrates, the conditions surrounding the choice of a language regime also have a number of implications for a nation's economy. Standardizing Diversity examines the relationship between the distribution of linguistic power and economic growth. Using a newly assembled dataset of all language-in-education policies in Asia from 1945 to 2005 and drawing on fieldwork data from Malaysia and Singapore, Liu shows language regimes that recognize a lingua franca exclusively-or at least above all others-tend to develop social trust, attract foreign investment, and stimulate economic growth. Particularly at high levels of heterogeneity, the recognition of a lingua franca fosters equality and facilitates efficiency. Her findings challenge the prevailing belief that linguistic diversity inhibits economic growth, suggesting instead that governments in even the most ethnically heterogeneous countries have institutional tools to standardize their diversity and to thrive economically.
• Titolo autorizzato: Standardizing Diversity
• ISBN: 0-8122-9210-3
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910460604503321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II