Voices of Heritage Languages – Researching the Interplay of Heritage Language Education and Social Cohesion
The international project “Voices of Heritage Languages” explores the role of heritage languages (HLs) in promoting social cohesion and linguistic justice in post-migrant and post-multilingual societies. Drawing on sociolinguistic and anthropological perspectives, the project specifically analyses policies and educational practices related to the teaching and learning of heritage languages in three multilingual regions: the cantons of Bern and Lucerne in Switzerland, and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen in Italy.
Through a multi-sited mixed-methods approach—including document analysis, interviews, and participatory arts-based methods—the study investigates how heritage language education is constructed at the institutional level, how it is perceived by teachers and families, and how it is experienced by students and educators. The expected outcomes aim to foster reflection for the development of language policies and educational practices at local levels, while also providing insights relevant to other international contexts characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity.
This project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen within the framework of the programme Joint Projects South Tyrol–Switzerland 2026–2028 (CUP D53C25001780003).
- Project duration: -
- Project status:
- Funding: Provincial Joint Programme – IT-SNF (Province BZ funding / Project)
- Website: https://www.phbern.ch/forschung/projekte/voices-of-heritage-languages-researching-the-interplay-of-heritage-language-education-and-social-cohesion
- Institutes: Institute for Applied Linguistics, Center for Migration and Societal Change
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