Ph.D. studentship for The politicizing of ESOL learners: An ethnography of language, migration and politics in the classroom, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, Scotland. Deadline: 29 July 2024.
The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is seeking to attract a PhD candidate of outstanding ability and commitment to join its vibrant and growing programme of internationally excellent research. Meaningful participation in society and access to decent work are key tenets of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision in the UK. Despite the increasing demand for ESOL, practitioners have warned of the damaging effects of severe funding cuts and inconsistent policy. Critical scholarship has also highlighted the detrimental impacts of such language education for migrants, including its alignment with neoliberal agendas (Simpson 2015; Flubacher et al. 2018; Allan 2013), the enactment of surveillance of racialized groups (Khan 2016), and the enabling of exclusionary regimes of citizenship (Cooke & Peutrell 2019; Monforte et al. 2019). These critical assessments from both researchers and practitioners have led to a growing movement towards the explicit politicisation of ESOL, through increased engagement with political issues ranging from anti-racism and access to decent housing, to ESOL funding and provision.
Designed as a multi-sited ethnography across Further Education and the Third Sector, including ESOL classrooms and political events, this project seeks to explore the political stances, identities, and actions engendered through ESOL education. Focusing on migrant learners in Glasgow, the project aims to understand how their political engagement, or lack thereof, is responded to in the ESOL classroom. It also examines how the shifting policies, infrastructures, and practices of ESOL teachers and institutions impact students’ political stances within the broader context of migration and inequality in Scotland. Through this comprehensive approach, the project will contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of ESOL in promoting and/or discouraging political engagement and social inclusion among migrant communities.
The successful candidate should hold a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, or a related subject and have experience conducting research (e.g., Master’s dissertation). Experience and/or knowledge of qualitative, especially ethnographic methods, would be desirable. A working knowledge of popular migrant languages in Glasgow (such as Urdu, Arabic, Polish or Ukrainian) or professional experience in the ESOL sector would also be advantageous. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate an interest in critical approaches to the study of language and society and be prepared to become an active member of the newly established UWS Centre for Research on Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship, and Identity.
Center for Intercultural Dialogue 