Mogadishu on the Mississippi Language, Racialized Identity, and Education in a New Land

Investigates the language learning, multiple literacy development, and schooling and community experiences of the Somali population in Minnesota - a community which is Muslim, refugee, and under-schooled Brings together five years of interdisciplinary research, drawing upon theories from the fields of applied linguistics, second language acquisition, education, and sociology Uses a range of epistemological frames to explore central and contemporary problems that tie language learning to racialized, religious, and gendered identities Argues for the centrality of socio-political contexts in language learning and for the integration of advocacy and research

Martha H. Bigelow is an Associate Professor in the Second Languages and Cultures Education program at the University of Minnesota. Most of her current research, teaching, and community engagement activities are focused on the language learning, academic success, and healthy cultural adaptation of immigrant and refugee youth. She has completed studies in the areas of second language acquisition, language teacher education, and immigrant education.