Agency in meso-level language policy planning in the face of macro-level policy shifts: a case study of multilingual education in a Chinese tertiary institution
Agency in meso-level language policy planning in the face of macro-level policy shifts: a case study of multilingual education in a Chinese tertiary institution
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宏观政策转变下中观语言政策规划的能动性：以中国高等院校多语言教育为例
DOI：
10.1080/14664208.2020.1741234
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发表时间：
2020
影响因子：
2.4
通讯作者：
K. Zhao
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Xiuwen Chen;J. Tao;K. Zhao
与全球范围内对英语以外的其他语言（LOTE）学习兴趣的减弱形成对比的是，由于“一带一路”倡议，中国大陆正在寻求LOTE教育的多样化。为了应对语言政策的转变，大学等地方环境中的各个利益相关者必须采取行动，启动LOTE计划或课程。然而，通过现场透镜对中层语言政策规划和实施的研究仍然很少。为了解决这一研究空白，本研究旨在深入了解两组个体利益相关者在机构层面上的代理行动：有权力的人和有专业知识的人。利用半结构化的访谈与七个个体演员，调查结果显示，第一，虽然这些个体演员表现出机构在应对宏观层面的语言政策变化，他们实际行使的机构是相对有限的LOTE教育的多样化。其次，通过考察语境和个人特征，我们确定了多个因素，介导个体行为者的机构在执行自上而下的语言政策。这些研究结果可能有助于语言政策制定者在当地环境中为个人自主权的行使和实施创造支持性的环境。
ABSTRACT In contrast to the waning interest in learning languages other than English (LOTEs) worldwide, mainland China is pursuing to diversify LOTE education because of the ‘Belt and Road Initiative.’ In response to language policy shifts, individual stakeholders in local contexts such as universities have to take actions to initiate LOTE programs or courses. However, there is still a paucity of research through an in situ lens into meso-level language policy planning (LPP) and implementation. To address this research gap, this study aims to obtain an in-depth understanding of the agentive actions of two groups of individual stakeholders at institutional level: people with power, and people with expertise. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with seven individual actors, the findings reveal that first, although these individual actors demonstrated agency in responding to macro-level language policy changes, the agency that they actually exercised was relatively limited in terms of the diversification of LOTE education. Second, by examining contextual and personal features, we identified multiple factors that mediate individual actors’ agency in implementing top-down language policy. These findings may help orient language policy makers to create supportive contexts for the exercise of individual agency at local context in LPP and implementation.