Social Class in Applied LinguisticsIn this ground breaking new book David Block proposes a new working definition of social class in applied linguistics. Traditionally, research on language and identity has focused on aspects such as race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, religion and sexuality. Political economy, and social class, as an identity inscription, have been undervalued. This book argues that increasing socioeconomic inequality, which has come with the consolidation of neoliberal policies and practices worldwide, requires changes in how we think about identity and proposes that social class should be brought to the fore as a key construct. Social Class in Applied Linguistics begins with an in-depth theoretical discussion of social class before considering the extent to which social class has been a key construct in three general areas of applied linguistics- sociolinguistics, bi/multilingualism and second language acquisition and learning research. Throughout the book, Block suggests ways in which social class might be incorporated into future applied linguistics research. A critical read for postgraduate students and researchers in the areas of applied linguistics, language education and TESOL. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 67
... means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be ...
... means that social class is a fundamental way of understanding virtually all twenty-first-century societies, although, it should be noted, not ever in exactly the same way in any two societies. As was the case with my part in the writing ...
... mean that I have become a hard-core 'essentialist' or 'structuralist' (two words that have become serious epithets in applied linguistics in recent years); I have not. But my reading and rereading of the work of nineteenth-century ...
... means of understanding my life in terms of social class. The school was located in a traditional southeast Houston working class neighbourhood where there were good number children from Irish, Italian and other European backgrounds ...
... means that each person's biography is removed from given determinations and placed in his or her own hands, open and dependent on decisions. The proportion of life opportunities which are fundamentally closed to decision-making is ...
Contents
What is Social Class? | |
Social Class in Sociolinguistics | |
Social Class in BiMultilingualism Research | |
Social Class in Second Language Acquisition and Learning | |
Epilogue | |
Index | |