5.3
| Project Coordinator and partners | Goldsmiths University, UK |
Title & Reference code | The Capital's 'language shortfall' and migrants' economic survival |
Language | English |
| Duration | 20 months |
| Description | Despite the case commonly made for fluency in the English language being vital to the integration of minority ethnic groups and their prosperity in the UK, there is also evidence that some forms of integration are open to minorities that do not necessarily involve cultural or even linguistic, integration. Many migrant communities in British cities contain some successful, productive businesses in which English is not spoken by any member of the workforce in the course of their duties, and where, even at the level of senior management, English is not used or deemed necessary. These businesses, nevertheless, make a significant contribution to the economy. This project is identifying businesses within three migrant communities in London and conducting a number of case studies of the ways in which the non-use of English is maintained, the articulation of the enterprises with the wider business, tax and legal system, and the size that companies can reach before language use amongst the workforce is logistically forced to involve English. The study is deliberately small and aimed at generating a better understanding of how non-English-speaking businesses are conducted, generating questions and concepts with which to interrogate the adequacy of current notions of integration and diversity. |
Key words | |
Link to the project's website | http://www.researchcatalogue.esrc.ac.uk/grants/RES-000-22-1846/read |
Other interesting information | |
Interest for the project | 3/5 |
| Contributor´s name + email | Stéphanie Barillé - stephanie@unak.is |