The presence and absence of race in world language education literature

• Published in: Foreign language annals Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 816 - 866
• Main Author: Daniel, Bethany
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 01.12.2023
• Subjects: history of the teaching of foreign languages; Language Usage; Periodicals; Race; race and ethnicity; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; teacher development; Trend Analysis; Whites; World Literature
• ISSN: 0015-718X; 1944-9720
• DOI: 10.1111/flan.12728

World language (WL) education has the potential to shift perspectives toward equity. To accomplish this, the field must consider how it is situated within societal systems that perpetuate racial inequity. This systematic historical analysis of literature examined how the term race and related terms appeared historically in a set of primary journals in WL education. Drawing on literature from race and critical whiteness studies, the article presents a conceptual framework used to analyze articles that referenced race‐related terms in the publication histories of 11 WL journals. Using textual content and thematic analysis, the articles illuminated ways in which systemic whiteness operates in WL education. Findings suggest that individual actions and coordinated efforts to shift policies and practice may help the field move toward greater racial equity. The Challenge How can world language education respond to calls for racial equity to transform language learning? This systematic historical analysis of literature examines the construct of race in world language education over the publication history of a set of primary journals in the field. Reckoning with the field's past reveals existing racialized systemic inequities and potential for world language educators and scholars to disrupt inequity to transform language learning.