Multilingualism, the literacy of the 21st century

The needs of nation states for internal administrative efficiency, economic development and social cohesion have tended to stress linguistic consolidation and national languages. Language learning and teaching has tended to serve these primary aims. However the drastic changes in international market integration, vast population mobility and instantaneous communications has transformed the communication profile of nations. This talk will report on language policy and planning, using examples from international experience, to argue that all states need to plan for plurilingual citizens in multicultural societies. Skill in construction, promulgation and implementation of multilingual policy will be required in all states to give citizens the capabilities that a globalised world will expect.

Room L-821 (Library 8F), Yotsuya Campus, Sophia University