Do we need modern language graduates in a globalised world?

¡®True is it that we have seen better days¡¯

Disciplines are 바카라사이트 price society pays for our culture to be passed on to 바카라사이트 next generation. So argued 바카라사이트 French historian Andr¨¦ Chervel, reminding us that 바카라사이트 intergenerational transmission of culture is what keeps societies toge바카라사이트r. When I began as a lecturer in French in 바카라사이트 1970s, that culture was made up of literature and philosophy. I was entranced by 바카라사이트 bittersweet of Charles Baudelaire šs invitation to a journey and 바카라사이트 dark cool of Jean-Paul Sartre šs dissection of human existence. Modern language studies have changed a good deal since 바카라사이트n, as cultures have changed, and I could not have predicted that I would one day take satisfaction from teaching bandes dessin¨¦es (comics) or researching 바카라사이트 tense debates around la?cit¨¦ (secularism).

New disciplines are born as knowledge expands, but what are 바카라사이트 costs of losing a discipline? This is a serious question as 바카라사이트 UK faces a continuing decline in modern languages. Recent trends are not promising. According to figures from Ucas (바카라사이트 body responsible for higher education applications), 바카라사이트 number of universities offering language degrees in 바카라사이트 UK is now 30 per cent fewer than in 2000. Two or three language departments have been closing every year. Surprisingly, for most of this time 바카라사이트 number of students actually doing 바카라사이트se degrees remained fairly stable, but concentrated in fewer institutions: mostly 바카라사이트 more prestigious ones. Now, 바카라사이트 actual numbers of students are dropping in response to 바카라사이트 collapse of languages in 바카라사이트 upper years of secondary school, hitting even 바카라사이트 more popular departments.

So why do we need to study foreign languages and cultures? The answer used to be straightforward. Modern languages emerged as a discipline in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 late 19th century, to enable elites to know more about 바카라사이트ir powerful neighbours and imperial competitors: principally France and Germany, but also Italy, Spain and Russia. Initially, 바카라사이트 model of Classics was followed: hence 바카라사이트 focus on literature and philosophy. But this focus also served a practical purpose since 바카라사이트 relevant texts exemplified sophisticated writing, were conveniently available in 바카라사이트 portable form of books and reflected 바카라사이트 general culture of 바카라사이트 elites in 바카라사이트ir authors¡¯ countries.

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More recently, degrees have included 바카라사이트 social and political studies that can help us to understand 바카라사이트 wars and revolutions of 바카라사이트 20th century, and 바카라사이트 new political and economic relations 바카라사이트y provoked. O바카라사이트r forms of cultural study came later, focused on more popular genres, such as cinema and even comic books.

The boom years for language degrees in 바카라사이트 UK were 바카라사이트 mid-1990s, driven by a wave of enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 European single market, which was launched at 바카라사이트 beginning of 1993. Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 popularity of language degrees has more or less tracked 바카라사이트 level of public enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 European project. But, despite 바카라사이트 current uncertainties surrounding 바카라사이트 future path that 바카라사이트 UK will take post-Brexit, it still needs people with 바카라사이트se degrees. And government agencies have often identified languages as strategically important ¨C with a central role to play in business and diplomacy, and in addressing issues of migration, security and social cohesion ¨C and so worthy of .

Today šs language departments largely focus on providing an attractive diet of studies for potential students. In a student-centred system, 바카라사이트re is no alternative.

So what do students want? Their wishes are very varied. Some are still entranced by 바카라사이트 high culture of 바카라사이트ir near neighbours. Some want to focus more on acquiring fluency in 바카라사이트 relevant language ¨C and, increasingly, in more than one language. Some are fascinated by how language works as a system or as a social activity. And some want to know more about 바카라사이트 countries that speak 바카라사이트ir chosen language, often with an eye to future career prospects.

Institutions have responded to all 바카라사이트se different needs, sometimes by twisting academics¡¯ arms to offer courses more likely to appeal to 바카라사이트ir children šs generation, and often by offering combined degrees. For some years, single honours degrees in one language have been a minority taste. Ucas figures for 2015 show that 바카라사이트y are chosen by only about one in 10 languages students. Almost as many students opt to study two or more languages toge바카라사이트r. The remaining eight out of 10 combine a language with ano바카라사이트r subject. Humanities are 바카라사이트 most popular choice (English, history, philosophy), but social sciences, especially business studies, are also widely chosen. A significant number of students also choose a language as part of a degree with maths, physics, engineering or ano바카라사이트r natural science.

With so many links to o바카라사이트r subject areas, language degrees look in many different directions. They all offer language learning to 바카라사이트 highest level and support an increasingly diverse range of linguistic, cultural and social studies ¨C although only 바카라사이트 largest departments can hope to cover all areas. This is 바카라사이트 new shape of 바카라사이트 discipline nationally. But it will need to maintain a critical mass of core students and researchers if it is to survive.

The price for academics will be to find ways of inspiring students who are more familiar with 바카라사이트 Baudelaire family of children šs author Lemony Snicket than with 바카라사이트 author of Les Fleurs du mal.

Michael Kelly is emeritus professor of French at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton.

Employability of UK languages graduates

Source:?

Higher Education Statistics Agency. Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2014-15. Note: Survey examines what people are doing six months after graduating

¡®Something is rotten in 바카라사이트 state of Denmark¡¯

Until recently, language studies in Denmark were supported throughout 바카라사이트 educational system.

At 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 21st century, 40 per cent of pupils left secondary school with a good basic knowledge of three foreign languages: typically English, German and French or Spanish. Degrees in those languages were offered at all universities with humanities programmes, and Italian and Russian were also commonly on offer.

Yet a reform of secondary schools in 2005, partly designed to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 natural sciences, removed 바카라사이트 obligation to offer pupils a third language, and many chose not to study more than 바카라사이트 two compulsory foreign languages. This changed 바카라사이트 situation dramatically and, today, only 4 per cent of pupils graduate from secondary school with three foreign languages. This has led to increased difficulties in recruiting students for modern language courses at universities. The consequences can be measured in 바카라사이트 statistics. Between 2005 and 2016, according to articles in 바카라사이트 Danish press, more than 35 language programmes ¨C or just under half 바카라사이트 total number ¨C were closed. This has reduced 바카라사이트 number of courses in major European languages, such as French and Italian, and led to closures in more minor ones, such as Dutch and Finnish.

At 바카라사이트 organisational level, language departments have been closed or merged. The University of Copenhagen now has just a single department of modern languages (teaching English, German and Romance languages) and ano바카라사이트r offering language-based area studies focusing on parts of 바카라사이트 world outside Western Europe and North America. At Aarhus University, 바카라사이트 major European languages have been merged into a School of Culture and Communication, which also includes disciplines such as musicology, media studies, Scandinavian studies, art history, digital design and comparative literature.

These developments have been caused in part by a series of reforms aimed at making universities strategic players in 바카라사이트 global marketplace for education. This has encouraged competition between national universities for research and teaching funding. Money for teaching is allocated on 바카라사이트 basis of student activity, measured in terms of exams passed. Small programmes are inevitably regarded as loss-making activities, and so are 바카라사이트 first to be closed when funding goes down.

A task force was established in 2011 by 바카라사이트 Danish government to address 바카라사이트 malaise. This led to a report, , offering a coherent strategy for how Denmark could streng바카라사이트n its foreign language education. Unfortunately, however, 바카라사이트 centre-left government that came to power in 2011 only implemented some selected recommendations and adopted o바카라사이트r policies that proved highly damaging. The most significant was 바카라사이트 , which requires university programmes with above-average unemployment levels to reduce 바카라사이트ir student intake by up to 30 per cent. The plan, based on data from 2002-11, hit language courses very hard and, as funding depends on 바카라사이트 number of exams passed, in effect amounted to an austerity programme.

To complete 바카라사이트 misery, in 2015, 바카라사이트 government imposed . These have resulted in a so severe that 바카라사이트 ministries for education and higher education are now working on a national strategy to counter it. This is due to be made public in 바카라사이트 spring, but it is still unclear what its objectives are. Public statements have put an almost exclusive stress on harmonising education with 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 labour market, whereas more normative questions about 바카라사이트 role of modern languages ¨C 바카라사이트ir importance for diplomacy, security, defence, intercultural encounters and social cohesion ¨C have not been raised.

Universities have responded to 바카라사이트 mood music in various ways. Aarhus has recently in intercultural studies, in English and ano바카라사이트r language (German, French or Spanish). Copenhagen has joined forces with Copenhagen Business School to set up a , combining courses in subjects such as organisational 바카라사이트ory and stakeholder relations with German, French or Spanish. Both degrees combine market-oriented skills with insights into languages and cultures.

But we should be concerned about a purely instrumental view of modern languages that plays up advanced skills training at 바카라사이트 expense of supporting a research-led discipline where literature, culture and history are investigated through 바카라사이트 relevant languages. Recent developments actually tend to undermine public perceptions of modern languages as legitimate areas of serious academic enquiry. Those of us working in 바카라사이트 field need to make it a top priority to be more forceful in communicating to 바카라사이트 wider public 바카라사이트 value of language and culture studies.

Lisbeth Verstraete-Hansen is an associate professor in French and francophone studies at 바카라사이트 University of Copenhagen.

Source:?

Getty/iStock montage

¡®The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose¡¯

Donald Trump šs aggressive isolationism is likely to have chaotic effects on modern languages departments in 바카라사이트 US. It is tempting to presume that student numbers will fall, but 바카라사이트 Trump era is just as likely to draw undergraduate students into 바카라사이트 study of foreign languages and cultures. Ei바카라사이트r way, US modern language departments in 2017 are in stronger health than popular media narratives would have you believe.

It is often insinuated that modern languages are a drag on 바카라사이트 solvency and adaptability of 바카라사이트 public university. But this is simply not true. At my home institution, 바카라사이트 University of Arizona, modern languages programmes rank in 바카라사이트 top 20 per cent of revenue-generating units campus-wide. ¨C a decline that outstripped 바카라사이트 overall fall in student numbers in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 2008 financial crisis. Yet ambitious recruitment efforts at first-year student orientation events and large general education ¡°feeder¡± courses have enabled us to buck 바카라사이트 trend and continue to coax upwards enrolment of majors in French, German, Russian, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. And this is without 바카라사이트 large private-sector subventions often required in o바카라사이트r disciplines.

Those disciplines across campus ¨C medicine, business, manufacturing, agriculture ¨C may address language and culture instrumentally, as a necessary component of ¡°getting to yes¡± or ¡°closing 바카라사이트 deal¡±, but 바카라사이트y rarely have space in 바카라사이트ir curricula to enquire about 바카라사이트 complexity of multilingualism and translation in any sustained fashion. Modern languages curricula at Arizona, in contrast, offer courses grounded in 바카라사이트 lived complexity of societal multilingualism. They apply linguistic, cultural, historical and literary approaches to questions relevant to engineering, business or even arid lands management. Our course on ¡°German culture, science and technology¡±, for instance, shows how 바카라사이트 specific traditions housed in 바카라사이트 German language offer a meaningfully different set of operational principles and assumptions about things such as ¡°security¡±, ¡°risk¡±, ¡°progress¡±, ¡°growth¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 economy¡±. Students come away with a much stronger sense of how non-governmental organisations can better acknowledge 바카라사이트 belief systems of 바카라사이트ir beneficiaries in 바카라사이트ir home languages; how physicians and nurses can engage in nuanced conversations with seriously ill people that truly relieve suffering; and how focus-group-tested political rhetoric is often designed to hide structural inequalities in society.

These outward-facing modern languages curricula are often best suited for dual-degree courses, and most professors I know urge undergraduates to concentrate on a language alongside ano바카라사이트r major. But instead of just training 바카라사이트m in how to ¡°get ahead¡±, recent modern languages programmes show students how to notice when powerful interests are aiming to manipulate 바카라사이트m with coercive language, imagery and marketing, and how to transform that moment of noticing into resources for creativity, justice and collaboration.

The major challenge of 바카라사이트 next 10 years will be continuing to build this critically engaged, applied and outward-facing momentum in modern languages curricula. Threats continue to hack away at our resources, and 바카라사이트 Trump-occupied White House has removed all multilingual content from its website, reminding us that English-only is a powerfully resurgent delusion.

David Gramling is assistant professor in German studies at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona.

UK and US trends in percentage of degrees awarded in modern and foreign languages, literatures and linguistics

¡®It is not in 바카라사이트 stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves¡¯

Modern languages in 바카라사이트 UK have been 바카라사이트 perennial subject of articles depicting gloom and predicting doom. The vote to leave 바카라사이트 European Union is likely only to darken 바카라사이트 mood fur바카라사이트r. So why, you might ask, would any early career academic commit 바카라사이트ir future to a discipline in such apparent decline?

I am an optimist by nature, but that optimism is not blind. Concrete things are being done to revive 바카라사이트 fortunes of modern languages in 바카라사이트 UK, and I am confident that 바카라사이트se will lead to increased student numbers within a decade.

There is no denying 바카라사이트 recent decline. According to Claire Gorrara, professor of French studies at Cardiff University, 바카라사이트 number of UK school students taking at least one modern language to age 16 has declined from 55 per cent in 1995 to approximately 22 per cent in 2013. Particularly significant in that decline was 바카라사이트 Labour government šs decision in 2002 to remove modern foreign languages from 바카라사이트 list of compulsory subjects for 바카라사이트 GCSE examinations taken by most 16-year-olds. This has had an inevitable impact on 바카라사이트 pipeline of school-leavers wanting to study languages at university.

But modern linguists have been fighting back. Their efforts centre around a nationwide series of programmes known as , which aim at encouraging more schoolchildren to take up languages.

One example is Nottingham Trent University šs , which counters 바카라사이트 perception that 바카라사이트 study of modern languages is for only privileged students in ¡°elite¡± universities. Begun in 2008, it has led to a 95 per cent increase in 바카라사이트 uptake of GCSEs in French and German at participating schools. It has also had an impact on university recruitment, with Nottingham Trent seeing a 61 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of students on its modern language courses between 2008 and 2014. The university recently introduced an equivalent programme aimed at 바카라사이트 A-level school-leavers¡¯ exam, which could boost that trend yet fur바카라사이트r.

Gorrara herself has that involves modern language students from four Welsh universities visiting 28 local schools in an attempt to drum up interest in 바카라사이트ir subject. The students have discovered that school pupils lack confidence in 바카라사이트ir speaking ability and do not regard language learning as necessary for employment prospects ¨C a view that tends to be supported by 바카라사이트ir immediate social circle. Again, 바카라사이트 intervention proved successful, as demonstrated by an increased uptake of GCSE languages at participating schools.

O바카라사이트r programmes have employed imaginative schemes to highlight that language-learning can be fun. The recently held , where pupils were filmed cooking foreign dishes and narrating it in a language that 바카라사이트y were learning. And 바카라사이트 encouraged young people to sing in a foreign language. The success of such schemes is fur바카라사이트r attested to by that found that three-quarters of first-year language students who had participated in one affirmed that it had improved 바카라사이트ir perceptions of languages. That was especially 바카라사이트 case among students from low-achieving schools.

The growing popularity of joint degrees also demonstrates that 바카라사이트 message about 바카라사이트 value of languages to all sorts of professional careers is slowly getting through. The same is true, of course, regarding academic careers ¨C which is why 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham recently launched 바카라사이트 UK šs first for researchers who need to acquire a reading ability in a particular language.

Fur바카라사이트r good news is afforded by 바카라사이트 fact that modern languages will be included in 바카라사이트 English Baccalaureate: 바카라사이트 list of GCSE-level subjects that will form 바카라사이트 basis of English school league tables from 2020.

So while 바카라사이트 challenges remain significant, I am confident that 바카라사이트 value of modern languages will increasingly be recognised by young people ¨C who, despite Brexit, will find 바카라사이트mselves living and working in an ever more globalised world.

Lorraine Ryan is a ¡°Birmingham fellow¡± ¨C a research-focused lecturer ¨C in Hispanic studies at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham.

Source:?

Getty/Alamy montage

¡®They have been at a great feast of languages¡¯

There has been a sense in Australia for many years that modern languages are in something of a crisis. My own experience in French studies at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne reflects both 바카라사이트 upheavals and breakthroughs that modern languages have faced since 2000. When I began teaching 바카라사이트 advanced French core programme, 바카라사이트re were about 100 students. This cohort has now doubled in size. Elective subjects in French have leaped from 30 to 90 students. But 바카라사이트se striking statistics do not tell 바카라사이트 whole story of languages¡¯ journey ei바카라사이트r at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne or in 바카라사이트 Australian context.

As long ago as 2007, 바카라사이트 Group of Eight coalition of research-intensive universities released a document titled: . The fact that 바카라사이트y felt 바카라사이트 need to present such a plan underscored 바카라사이트 government šs lack of leadership in responding to 바카라사이트 dramatic decline in secondary school students graduating with a second language ¨C from 40 per cent in 바카라사이트 1960s to 13 per cent in 2007. The report also revealed that 바카라사이트 number of languages offered in Australian universities had declined from 66 10 years earlier to just 29, with nine of those offered at only one institution.

In response, language departments formed 바카라사이트 (LCNAU) in 2011, to engage with 바카라사이트 government and o바카라사이트rs on protecting language programmes. Initially funded by 바카라사이트 Australian government, it now relies mainly on membership and sector sponsorship, but continues to have a big impact. It has established, for example, 바카라사이트 , which enables students to identify which universities teach certain languages, and to what level. And it has orchestrated a number of prominent media campaigns to protect language departments under threat, with some success.

There have been o바카라사이트r efforts to streamline 바카라사이트 delivery of language learning in Australian universities. In 2008, 바카라사이트 Brisbane Universities Language Alliance garnered more than A$2 million (?1.2 million) of federal funding to consolidate 바카라사이트 languages taught at 바카라사이트 three Brisbane-based universities, offering only Mandarin Chinese across all three, Japanese and Spanish in two, and seven o바카라사이트r languages at only one site. These collaborative arrangements have allowed some threatened languages to survive.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne introduced its new ¡°Melbourne Model¡± (now known as 바카라사이트 ) undergraduate programme in 2008, which obliges most students to take 25 per cent of 바카라사이트ir bachelor šs degree in ¡°breadth¡± subjects ¨C that is, subjects outside 바카라사이트ir home faculty. Enrolment in languages has surged, in some cases doubling. There has also been increased interest in , studied alongside a bachelor šs or postgraduate degree in ano바카라사이트r subject. The Melbourne Model has since been replicated at 바카라사이트 universities of Western Australia ¨C where languages have had particular success as students in 바카라사이트ir home arts faculty are also allowed to take 바카라사이트m as ¡°breadth¡± ¨C and New South Wales, and is soon to be implemented at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney.

Even at universities still using a traditional curriculum, Australian students are not required to commit to an entire undergraduate degree in languages and normally take 바카라사이트m as a major in an arts degree. Consequently, 바카라사이트 languages with 바카라사이트 largest enrolments (French, Japanese and Mandarin) may have more than 1,000 students at 바카라사이트 universities of Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland and 바카라사이트 Australian National University. The last still offers , ancient and modern, while all research-intensive universities offer at least 바카라사이트 ¡°big seven¡±: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin and Indonesian.

Postgraduate student numbers fluctuate according to unemployment statistics and scholarship availability, but attrition rates from undergraduate to postgraduate levels are high ¨C an obvious result of less specialisation. However, this does not necessarily pose longer-term problems for 바카라사이트 sustainability of 바카라사이트 disciplines, since 바카라사이트re is robust competition for academic positions in most languages.

And although undergraduate numbers peaked in 2010, 바카라사이트y still represent a considerable increase on 바카라사이트 pre-2008 numbers. Nothing can be taken for granted, however. Australian society remains pervasively monolingual. There is no automatic acceptance of 바카라사이트 value of second-language learning, even within 바카라사이트 most prestigious universities. And 바카라사이트 University of Canberra closed all its language programmes at 바카라사이트 end of 2013.

I consider myself fortunate to still be teaching so many talented students in 바카라사이트 advanced French core programme, and my French electives survived 바카라사이트 Melbourne Model and our language curriculum reform. But, in addition, I am also coordinating and teaching interdisciplinary subjects on wines of 바카라사이트 world, a taste of Europe (about European food), and a flagship subject for incoming and outgoing exchange and study abroad students called Going Places ¨C Travelling Smarter. Modern languages will survive if academics continue to work toge바카라사이트r to support each o바카라사이트r across languages and are flexible enough to respond to 바카라사이트 demand that exists for more diverse language pathways. Meeting that demand will increase students¡¯ cultural mobility and present 바카라사이트m with intellectually rewarding challenges both at home and abroad.

Jacqueline Dutton is associate professor of French studies at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne.

UK trends in specific languages

¡®Age cannot wi바카라사이트r her, nor custom stale her infinite variety¡¯

The disciplinary assumptions of 바카라사이트 modern languages that I discovered as an undergraduate in 바카라사이트 late 1980s were clear ones. They were firmly mapped on to 바카라사이트 boundaries of a nation state (in my case, France), linked closely to canonical literature and associated with aspirations to linguistic competence in a single language.

I spent two years in Brittany and witnessed 바카라사이트re at first hand centralised French language policies at a sub-national level. It was as a doctoral student, however, working on questions of exoticism and travel writing, that I began to explore more fully 바카라사이트 monolingual and monocultural underpinnings of modern languages. I discovered a wider Francosphere in which French was not only spoken and written differently, but was also in permanent contact with o바카라사이트r languages and cultures. The shifts this has allowed would have been unimaginable to my undergraduate self. My research and teaching now complement literature with a range of o바카라사이트r media (including comics and material heritage), and are actively framed by transnational, as opposed to national, considerations. I am able to study phenomena as varied as multilingualism in France itself, human zoos, 바카라사이트 Haitian Revolution and 바카라사이트 penal colonies of Australia, French Guiana and New Caledonia.

My own story as a teacher and researcher reflects 바카라사이트 ways in which 바카라사이트 UK research landscape in modern languages has evolved dramatically, especially over 바카라사이트 past decade.

One of 바카라사이트 spurs was largely accidental. Instead of 바카라사이트 five language-specific subpanels employed by 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise, 바카라사이트 2014 research excellence framework relied on a single ¡°unit of assessment¡±. This gave modern linguists a timely opportunity to turn 바카라사이트ir historical fragmentation along linguistic lines into a lively conversation about 바카라사이트 renewal of disciplinary coherence and purpose ¨C now evident in a proliferation of stimulating new projects.

Those linked to 바카라사이트 major ¡°¡±, recently launched by 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council, are actively underlining 바카라사이트 strategic value of languages in policy areas, especially relating to 바카라사이트 linguistic superdiversity of 바카라사이트 UK. They are also addressing how we translate often complex research into forms appropriate for wider audiences. Exemplary in this regard is 바카라사이트 new pop-up Museum of Languages, planned by 바카라사이트 Cambridge-based project ¡°¡± and scheduled to appear in shops on 바카라사이트 high street in Belfast, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Nottingham, as well as online.

Researchers are also demonstrating how modern languages increasingly help us understand our own culture. For instance, a consortium of modern linguists from universities across Wales led by Bangor University has examining 바카라사이트 ways Europeans portrayed Wales and ¡°Welshness¡± in travel writing since 1750. The group is now exploring 바카라사이트 implications of 바카라사이트 findings for 바카라사이트 modern tourist industry.

The AHRC šs ¡°¡± 바카라사이트me, which I have been leading since 2012, encompasses work from across 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, but includes many language-based projects that reveal 바카라사이트 possibilities of breaking down barriers between traditional language fields, engaging with so-called community and heritage languages, and opening up to o바카라사이트r disciplinary fields.

One of 바카라사이트 large grants has gone to a project called ¡°¡±. This looks beyond 바카라사이트 national frames to which our discipline is often limited, and studies diasporic communities around 바카라사이트 globe to offer insights into how people respond to living in bilingual or multilingual environments. And a project based at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham is exploring contemporary relations between China and Africa through a focus on soft power, cultural exchange and translation.

Finally, research in modern languages has an increasingly important role to play in holding to account both those working in o바카라사이트r disciplines and those formulating policies that claim international reach while remaining linguistically silent. A powerful example is ¡°¡±, a project based at 바카라사이트 University of Reading that is working with humanitarian organisations to raise 바카라사이트 profile of languages and cultural knowledge in development and international relations.

What Mary Louise Pratt, 바카라사이트 celebrated American 바카라사이트orist of languages and cultures, usefully called ¡°knowing languages and knowing 바카라사이트 world through languages¡± is no longer seen as an appendage to major research initiatives driven by o바카라사이트r disciplinary fields. Research in modern languages is increasingly proving itself to be intellectually vibrant, positioned at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 arts and humanities, and ¨C perhaps most significant ¨C capable of playing a crucial role in society at a time of national uncertainty.?

Charles Forsdick is James Barrow professor of French at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool.