Language Policy and Identity Politics in the

Well over thirty million people in the United States speak a primary language other than English. Nearly twenty million of them speak Spanish. And these numbers are growing. Critics of immigration and multiculturalism argue that recent government language policies such as bilingual education, non-English election materials, and social service and workplace "language rights" threaten the national character of the United States. Proponents of bilingualism, on the other hand, maintain that, far from being a threat, these language policies and programs provide an opportunity to right old wrongs and make the United States a more democratic society.

This book lays out the two approaches to language policy -- linguistic assimilation and linguistic pluralism -- in clear and accessible terms. Filled with examples and narratives, it provides a readable overview of the U.S. "culture wars" and explains why the conflict has just now emerged as a major issue in the United States.

Professor Schmidt examines bilingual education in the public schools, "linguistic access" ri

Acknowledgments

ix

Introduction: A Politics of Language in the United States?

1

(10)

I. The Issues and the Context

Language Policies in Conflict: An Overview

11

(26)

Making Sense of Language Policy Conflict

37

(32)

The Social Foundations of U.S. Language Politics

69

(30)

II. The Arguments

Historical Perspectives on U.S. Identity Politics and Ethnolinguistic Inequality

99

(31)

Language Policy and Equality: The Search for Justice

130

(33)

Language Policy and National Unity: The Search for the Common Good

163

(20)

III. Critique and Reform

Flaws at Every Turn: A Critique of Assimilationist, Pluralist, and Confederationist Alternatives

183

(38)

Pluralistic Integration: Toward Greater Justice and a More Common Good

221

(30)

Notes

251

(6)

References

257

(18)

Index

275

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Language Policy and Identity Politics in the United States

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