Language, Identity and Education on the Arabian Peninsula

This collection examines the urban multilingual realities of inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula in the early 21st century from the perspectives of learners, teachers and researchers. Focusing on both public and private spheres, it considers the importance of both English and immigrants’ languages in a context of rapid socioeconomic development.

Louisa Buckingham lectures at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, multilingualism and area studies.

Louisa Buckingham lectures at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, multilingualism and area studies.

Language, Identity and Education on the Arabian Peninsula brings together a refreshing variety of methodologies to illuminate how different stakeholders perceive English, Arabic and other languages in relation to their own lives. The rich range of ‘insider’ data in the book and the focus on curricular and social context make a valuable contribution to the literature on this region, with implications for other parts of the world where English is similarly embraced and contested.

Bilingualism and multilingualism are evolving linguistic, cultural and especially educational phenomena of the modern day Arabian Peninsula. As rightly put by the editor, this region represents complex and multi-layered societies. In this book the editor and the authors capture these linguistic complexities offering an in-depth analysis of the increasingly powerful position of English in society at large and at universities. The book is a timely work and is applauded for tackling the thorny issues of EMI, identity, language and educational policies.

As the Arabian peninsula continues to globalise and invest in English-medium education, this volume is timely in bringing to light issues of language maintenance and loss, cultural identity, and education relying on sound theories and methodologies and addressing the complexities of the region’s linguistic and cultural contexts. The findings can inform language planning and curriculum design in the area.