This book investigates the relationship between English and personal and national development, as this is both discursively promoted (particularly through language policy) and practically realized in developing societies. It addresses the effects that the increased use of English and the promotion of English-language education are having in developmental contexts, and their impact on broader educational issues, on local language ecologies and on questions of cultural identity. It investigates these issues by drawing together a series of original examinations and case studies by a range of leading scholars working in this burgeoning field. The chapters focus on a variety of contexts from around the world, and the volume as a whole surveys and critiques the positioning and influence of English as a catalyst for development in the 21st century.
Elizabeth J. Erling, PhD, works at the University of Vienna, Austria. Her research explores issues of equity in language education, particularly with regard to multilingual students from a migration background.
Philip Seargeant is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics at the Open University, UK, where he teaches and researches language and communication. He is the author of The Art of Political Storytelling (2020, Bloomsbury) and has published widely on topics ranging from World Englishes, language and social media, to language and creativity. He is a frequent contributor to publications including Wired, The New European, Prospect, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post and The Independent.