Indigenous Language Politics in Asia

Asia is a linguistically diverse region, but this diversity is currently under threat. After centuries of colonisation and decades of rapid development, communities throughout Asia are facing distinct and urgent challenges to defend their rights to language in the face of discrimination, exclusion, and violence. How are Indigenous people and languages across Asia responding to this situation? Who decides which languages deserve attention and resources? How can awareness of Indigenous languages be raised and new political agendas promoted? As the world enters what UNESCO has declared as the Decade of Indigenous Languages we will explore these issues with several researchers from Asia - people who speak, advocate for, or research some of the region’s many Indigenous languages. Speakers: Assistant Professor Prem Phyak, Applied Linguistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Associate Professor Madoka Hammine, International Studies, Meio University Associate Professor Tuting Hernandez, Linguistics, University of Philippines Senior Research Fellow Gerald Roche, Politics, Media & Philosophy, La Trobe University Chair: Associate Professor Bec Strating, Director, La Trobe Asia Recorded on 22 February 2022.