States of Language Policy: Theorizing Continuity and Change

Why do some countries have one official language while others have two or more? Why do Indigenous languages have official status in some countries but not others? How do we theorize about continuity and change when we explain state language policy choices? Combining both the theory and practice of language regimes, this book explains how the relationship between language, politics, and policy can be studied. It brings together a globally representative team of scholars to look at the patterns of continuity and change, the concept of state traditions, and notions of historical legacies, critical juncture, path dependency, layering, conversion, and drift. It contains in-depth case studies from a multitude of countries including Algeria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Norway, Peru, Ukraine, and Wales, and across both colonial and postcolonial contexts. Wide-ranging yet accessible, it is essential reading for practitioners and scholars engaged in the theory and practice of language policies.

Ericka Albaugh is a Research Affiliate at Bowdoin College. Her books include State-Building and Multilingual Education in Africa (CUP, 2014) and Tracing Language Movement in Africa (co-edited with de Luna, Oxford University Press, 2018).

Linda Cardinal is Associate Vice-President Research at the Université de l'Ontario français in Toronto and Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the University of Ottawa. Her research interests are language regimes and state traditions, linguistic minorities and la Francophonie.

Rémi Léger is Full Professor of Political Science and Director of the French Cohort Program in Public & International Affairs at Simon Fraser University. His research examines the recognition and empowerment of linguistic minorities in Canada and internationally.