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International Review of Education

, Volume 63, Issue 4, pp 453–474 | Cite as

Migrants and the language of instruction: Is the EU policy deficit driving new innovations in social inclusion?

  • Joe Cullen
Original Paper
First Online:

Abstract

Language learning has long been seen as an important tool for achieving European Union (EU) targets for social inclusion. However, “mainstream” policy instruments like the Action Plan on Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity and the European Charter for Minority Languages have been undermined in recent years by the effects of the global financial crisis, which has contributed to the widespread decimation of welfare budgets in many EU member states. This has been accompanied by the increasing influence of a “neo-liberal” discourse in welfare and social service policies and practices, leading to the delegation of responsibility for service provision from central, regional and local government to commercial enterprises, civil society and, ultimately, to citizens themselves. At the same time, the gaps in service provision that have resulted from this “financial crisis” have opened up new opportunities for social innovators. New kinds of organisations are beginning to develop and apply new approaches using language learning to deliver innovative services aimed, for example, at supporting the integration of immigrants in society. Using case study analysis, this paper explores how these new approaches have developed, what kinds of innovation are being delivered and the contribution these social innovations are making to broader EU social inclusion objectives.

Keywords

Language learning Social inclusion Governmentality Social innovation 

Résumé

Migrants et langue d’instruction: la déficience des politiques européennes stimule-t-elle l’innovation dans l’inclusion sociale? L’apprentissage linguistique est depuis longtemps considéré comme un outil décisif pour atteindre les cibles de l’Union européenne (UE) en termes d’inclusion sociale. Cependant, les instruments stratégiques classiques tels que le plan d’action sur l’apprentissage des langues et la diversité linguistique ou la Charte européenne des langues régionales ou minoritaires ont été minés ces dernières années par les répercussions de la crise financière mondiale. Celle-ci a contribué à la décimation généralisée des budgets sociaux dans un grand nombre d’États membres de l’UE. Ce phénomène s’est accompagné d’une influence croissante du discours «néolibéral» dans les politiques et pratiques des services sociaux et d’assistance. En conséquence, les gouvernements centraux, régionaux et locaux ont délégué la responsabilité de la prestation des services à des entreprises commerciales, à la société civile et finalement aux citoyens. Parallèlement, les lacunes dans les prestations de service résultant de cette «crise financière» ont ouvert de nouvelles opportunités aux innovateurs sociaux. De nouvelles formes d’organisations se développent aujourd’hui et appliquent de nouvelles approches qui exploitent l’apprentissage des langues pour dispenser des services innovants. Ceux-ci visent entre autres à favoriser l’intégration des immigrants dans la société. À partir de l’analyse d’études de cas, l’auteur de l’article explore l’apparition de ces nouvelles approches, les types d’innovation actuellement concrétisés et la contribution de ces innovations sociales aux objectifs plus larges de l’UE relatifs à l’inclusion sociale.

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© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Arcola ResearchLondonUK

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