UPCOMING EVENT SPONSORED BY PSU INSTITUTE FOR ASIAN STUDIES
Panel Discussion: Linguistic Diversity, Language Identity, and Multiculturalism in Asia and Implications for PSU
Date: January 21, 2021
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
“Monolingual Americans” is frequently heard to describe US citizens, but linguistic and cultural diversity is an unequivocal reality in today’s world. This panel will present the issues surrounding linguistic and cultural diversity such as language identity and policy. Dr. Sharon Carsten shares her study on code-switching phenomena and heteroglossic identities among Chinese Malaysians. Dr. Yer Thao will talk about the loss of the Mong/Hmong cultural heritage and their native language and the important role of language in promoting educational success. Dr. Kim Brown will address general issues concerning multiculturalism and language identity. The panel will also present implications for the PSU student population as well as the PSU campus community.
Presentations Titles and Presenters:
Title: Conversational Codeswitching in Polylingual Malaysia by Sharon Carsten, Professor Emerita, Anthropology PSU
The mixing of three or more languages in casual conversations, a hallmark of Chinese Malaysian casual conversation, expresses a range of sociological and ideological meanings in the ongoing construction of Chinese Malaysian heteroglossic identities. This short presentation will use examples from 12 recorded conversations to highlight the multiple layers of meaning conveyed through different polylingual language styles.
Sharon Carstens is Professor Emerita in the PSU Anthropology Department. Her most recent research has focused on the sociolinguistics practices of Chinese Malaysians.
Title: Mong/Hmong Language, Culture, and Tradition by Yer Jeff Thao, Professor, Education PSU
This discussion will share how the hegemony of the dominant culture and language could impact the loss of Mong/Hmong cultural heritage and their native language while attending American schools. This talk will further discuss the role of Hmong/Mong language development in promoting educational success for Mong/Hmong students along with some pedagogy tools drawing from research based and practical field to help educators understand the value of Mong/Hmong cultural heritage and native language. Also, it will help educators understand the two main dialects spoken by Mong/Hmong and their traditional to modern contemporary culture practice and language speak within the Mong/Hmong American community.
Dr. Thao is a Professor of Education in the Curriculum and Instruction Department, College of Education, Portland State University. He has a Ph.D. in Education with areas of focus in multicultural, multilingual education and cross-culture studies from Claremont Graduate University. He is a native Mong speaker. He speaks both Mong (Mong Leng Dialect) and Hmong (Hmong Der Dialect) and a multilingual educator. Dr. Thao's previous professional experience was an elementary school teacher. He taught for ten years in elementary school before becoming a college professor. He is the author of numerous articles, book chapters, and books. Dr. Thao has taught courses on Impact on Language and Culture in the Classroom, Culture Responsive Classroom, Multicultural Education, Equity and Social Justice Education, Issues in Education, Education and Society for graduate students at PSU. Dr. Thao has conducted over 350 professional development workshops in the United States, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, and Canada on oral cultural tradition, language and culture, English as a second language, parental and community involvement, cultural implications in student behavior, and research among others.
Title: Language Identity and Multilingualism in the 21st Century: Self and Other in our Globalizing World by Kimberly Brown, Professor, Applied Linguistics PSU
This presentation focuses on three dimensions of language use as determined by Self and Other. It explores the difference between avowed and ascribed identities in language use drawing upon Ruiz’s (1984) notions of Language as Problem, Language as Right, and Language as Resource.
Kimberley Brown received her PhD in Second Language and Cultures Education from the University of Minnesota. She also completed an MA TESOL degree from UMN as well. She has taught at Portland State since 1989 following teaching positions at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN and Damavand College in Tehran, Iran.
Her research interests lie in the intersection between language pedagogy and intercultural communication: Pedagogy in International and Global Studies, Learning Differences in Language Education Pedagogy and Language Education, Intercultural Competence Education, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and World Englishes in the Classroom.
She routinely teaches language pedagogy course for the Dept. of Applied Linguistics as well as a course titled “World Englishes.” In the Department of International and Global Studies, her most frequent courses taught include Introduction to International and Global Studies and Human Rights and Language. She is the co-author of Introduction to International and Global Studies with colleague Shawn Smallman. The text is now in its third edition. Recent publications include:
Brown, K. , David, R. and Smallman, S. (2018). Adopting the Principles of Universal Design in International and Global Studies’ Programs and Curriculum, The Journal of International and Global Studies, 9(1), 78-92.
David, R. and Brown, K. (2021). Diversity, Equity, and Language Teacher Education in Conrad, S., Hartig, A, and Santelmann, L. (Eds). The Cambridge Introduction to Applied Linguistics, 295-307.
For more information, contact Institute for Asian Studies.
Phone: 503-725-8576
Website: www.pdx.edu/asian-studies/
Email: asianstudies@pdx.edu