The Power of Language as Integration Barriers for Refugees

Abstract

The issue of the power of language as Integration Barriers is what my poster is illustrating. My work is inspired from the three-educational forum and the online postings discussion during the Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Global Refugee Crisis which were related to my bachelor social work course on Intercultural Practice in Social Work. How do we depart that umbrella that promotes English Language as the superior language and one everyone should speak, into a much wider box that embraces diversity, differences, and equality?

According to Statistics Canada, in 2011 about 111 different languages were reported being spoken at home, a number that may have increased as of today. Amongst all the recognized languages, there isn't one I recognize from the few African languages I have heard spoken here in Canada. What I found most interesting in this research is that all the indigenous languages are included in the "other languages spoken at home" category rather than the "primary languages" category. If this was about speaking the language of the owners of the land, shouldn't we be stressing about the importance of learning Cree instead of English?

Since English language is being imposed on all refugees and newcomers, should we then safely assume that we are just experiencing another form of colonization? Asking people to suppress all 111+ languages that form a big part of their identity when they step out of their homes, fuels racism and segregation, promotes isolation, prejudice, identity loss, and suppresses the integration process. Trying to meet them somewhere along the way, showing interest in their cultural ways, languages, and individual views, says you care and value their individual identity.

Discipline: Social Work

Faculty mentor: Dr. Valerie Ouedraogo