Language and Social Inclusion: Unexplored aspects of intercultural communication. Simon Musgrave & Julie Bradshaw
Social inclusion policy in Australia largely ignores issues of communication for linguistic minorities, across communities and with the mainstream community. The Social Inclusion Board’s 2009 report emphasizes economic aspects of inclusion and assimilatory aspects of policy, and mentions language mainly in relation to the provision of ESL classes. A strength-based approach to linguistic diversity is acknowledged but the implications of this for intercultural communication are not developed. We evaluate policy approaches to linguistic and cultural diversity in Australia to assess whether inclusion is construed in terms of enhancing intercultural communication or of assimilation to the mainstream, advocating an evidence-based approach.

Simon Musgrave holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne and is a lecturer in Linguistics at Monash University. His research and publications cover areas including Austronesian languages, language endangerment, Sudanese languages in Australia, and communication in medical settings.

Julie Bradshaw has a PhD from the University of York, U.K., and is a Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at Monash University. Her interests include multilingualism and language maintenance, the sociolinguistic aspects of second language acquisition, minority language literacy, place identity, and communication in medical settings.