Introducing Multilingualism: A Social Approach

Introducing Multilingualism is a comprehensive and user-friendly introduction to the dynamic field of multilingualism. Adopting a compelling social and critical approach and covering important social and educational issues, the authors expertly guide readers through the established theories, leading them to question dominant discourses on subjects such as integration, heritage and language testing. This second edition has been fully revised and updated, featuring new chapters on multilingualism in new media, the workplace and the family. Other key topics include:

• language as a social construct
• language contact and variation
• language and identity
• the differences between individual and societal multilingualism
• translanguaging
• flexible multilingual education.

With a wide range of engaging activities and quizzes and a comprehensive selection of case studies from around the world, this is essential reading for undergraduate students and postgraduate students new to studying multilingualism.

Kristine Horner is Reader in Luxembourg Studies and Multilingualism at the University of Sheffield, where she is also Director of the Centre for Luxembourg Studies. Her upcoming publications include a new edition of The German-speaking World (2018).

Jean-Jacques Weber is Professor of English and Education at the University of Luxembourg. His most recent book publications are Language Racism (2015) and Flexible Multilingual Education: Putting Children’s Needs First (2014).