Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Language Ideologies Regarding English-Medium Instruction in European Higher Education: Insights from Flanders and Finland

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Discursive Approaches to Language Policy

Abstract

This chapter aims to reveal underlying language ideologies regarding English-medium instruction (EMI) in a non-English-speaking context. The case study is based on a comparison between Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) and Finland. In both areas, the ‘national’ language played a seminal role in the construction of a common identity, while in today’s academic context, there is an increasing demand for English. Thus, measures have been taken to ‘promote’ the nation’s language while at the same time introducing EMI. The analysis draws on language policy research and critical discourse analysis to explore how discourses on one’s language and identity are reflected in language policies regarding EMI in Flanders and in Finland. The analysis takes into account the socio-historical context in both regions, and it focuses on current ‘texts in context’ (legislation, university policy). The analysis reveals that Flanders adheres to essentialist views regarding language, whereas Finland takes a more pragmatic approach, which may be due to the fact that Finland was established as an independent nation-state in 1917, whereas Flanders may be regarded as an emerging nation-state.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, B. (1983). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism (Revised ed.). London: Verso.

    Google Scholar 

  • Björkman, B. (2014). Language ideology or language practice? An analysis of language policy documents at Swedish universities. Multilingua, 33(3–4), 335–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackledge, A. (2005). Discourse and power in a multilingual world. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Block, D., Gray, J., & Holborow, M. (2012). Neoliberalism and applied linguistics. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blommaert, J. (2006). Language policy and national identity. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy: Theory and method (pp. 238–254). Malden: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bologna Declaration. (1999). Retrieved from: http://www.magna-charta.org/resources/files/BOLOGNA_DECLARATION.pdf

  • Bourdieu, P. (1991). Language and symbolic power. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenn-White, M., & Van Rest, E. (2012). English-Taught master’s programs in Europe: New findings on supply and demand. New York: Institute of International Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, D. (2006). Geolinguistic analysis in language policy. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy. Theory and method (pp. 194–209). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, M. C. (2010). You might all be speaking swedish today: Language change in 19th-century Finland and Ireland. Scandinavian Journal of History, 35(1), 44–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Constitution of Belgium. (1994). Retrieved from: http://www.senate.be/doc/const_nl.html

  • Constitution of Finland. (1999). Retrieved from: http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990731.pdf

  • Dalby, A. (2002). Language in danger. How language loss threatens our future. London: Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Declaration on Nordic Language Policy. (2007). Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deprez, K., & Vos, L. (Eds.) (1998). Nationalism in Belgium. Shifting identities 1780–1995. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, J. (1985). Language, society and identity. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2012). First European survey of language competences. Final report. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/languages/policy/strategic-framework/documents/language-survey-final-report_en.pdf

  • Fairclough, N. (2006). Language and globalisation. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnish Universities Act. (558/2009). Retreived from: http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2009/en20090558.pdf

  • Fishman, J. A. (2006). Language policy and language shift. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy. Theory and method (pp. 311–328). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flemish Decree Concerning Language Regulation in Higher Education. (2012). Retrieved from: http://docs.vlaamsparlement.be/docs/stukken/2011–2012/g1655-6.pdf

  • Flemish Decree Concerning the Restructuring of Higher Education in Flanders. (2003). Retrieved from: http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=1

  • Flemish Government Memorandum. (2010). Retrieved from: http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/integratie/VR_2011_1507_MED.0393_Hervorming_hoger_onderwijs.pdf. Accessed 30 June 2014.

  • Gellner, E. (1983). Nations and nationalism (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobsbawm, E. J. (1990). Nations and nationalism since 1780. Programme, myth, reality (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultgren, A. K. (2014). English language use at the internationalised universities of Northern Europe: Is there a correlation between Englishisation and world rank? Multilingua, 33(3–4), 389–411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hultgren, A. K., Gregersen, F., & Thøgersen, J. (Eds.) (2014). English in Nordic universities. Ideologies and practices. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ihalainen, P., & Saarinen, T. (2014). Constructing “language” in language policy discourse: Finnish and Swedish legislative processes in the 2000s. In M. Halonen, P. Ihalainen, & T. Saarinen (Eds.), Language policies in Finland and Sweden. Interdisciplinary and multi-sited comparisons (pp. 29–56). Clevendon: Multilingual Matters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kachru, B. (1985). Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism: The English language in the outer circle. In R. Quirk & H. Widdowson (Eds.), English in the world: Teaching and learning the language and literatures (pp. 11–36). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, D. (2006). A concise history of Finland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kuteeva, M. (2014). The parallel language use of Swedish and English: the question of “nativeness” in university policies and practices. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 35(4), 332–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law Concerning Language Regulation in Education. (1963). Wet houdende taalregeling in het onderwijs. http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/edulex/database/document/document.asp?docid=12391

  • Leppänen, S., & Pahta, P. (2012). Finnish culture and language endangered – Language ideological debates on English in the Finnish Press from 1995 to 2007. In J. Blommaert, S. Leppänen, & T. Räisänen (Eds.), Dangerous multilingualism: Northern perspectives on order, purity and normality (pp. 142–175). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • May, S. (2005). Language rights: Moving the debate forward. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 9(3), 319–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, S. (2006). Language policy and minority rights. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy. Theory and method (pp. 255–272). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelde, P., Labrie, N., & Williams, C. H. (1992). The principles of territoriality and personality in the solution of linguistic conflicts. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 13(5), 387–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic imperialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisigl, M., & Wodak, R. (2009). The discourse-historical approach (DHA). In R. Wodak & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (pp. 87–121). London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricento, T. (Ed.) (2006). An introduction to language policy. Theory and method. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saarinen, T. (2012). Internationalization of Finnish higher education — Is language an issue? IJSL, 216, 157–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saarinen, T. (2014). Language ideologies in Finnish higher education in the national and international context: a historical and contemporary outlook. In A. K. Hultgren, F. Gregersen, & J. Thøgersen (Eds.), English in Nordic universities: Ideologies and practices (pp. 127–146). Amsterdam: Benjamins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schieffelin, B. B., Woolard, K. A., & Kroskity, P. (Eds.) (1998). Language ideologies: Practice and theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidlhofer, B. (2011). Understanding English as a Lingua Franca. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverstein, M. (1996). Monoglot “standard” in America: Standardization and metaphors of linguistic hegemony. In D. Brenneis & R. Macaulay (Eds.), The matrix of language: Contemporary linguistic anthropology (pp. 284–306). Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit, U., & Dafouz, E. (2012). Integrating content and language in higher education: Gaining insights into English-medium instruction at European universities. AILA, 25, 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spolsky, B. (2004). Language policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spolsky, B. (2009). Language management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tollefson, J. W. (2006). Critical theory in language policy. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy. Theory and method (pp. 42–59). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Universities Act, Finland 558/2009. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2009/en20090558.pdf. Accessed 30 June 2014.

  • University of Antwerp Code of Conduct Regarding the Language of Instruction. (2013–2014), Retrieved from: https://www.uantwerpen.be/images/uantwerpen/container1163/files/Gedragscode%20Onderwijstaal%20RVBOK.pdf. Accessed 30 June 2014.

  • University of Jyväskylä Language Policy. (2012). Retrieved from: https://www.jyu.fi/hallinto/strategia/en/university-of-jyvaskyla-language-policy-2012

  • University of Jyväskylä Language Policy Action Plan. (2012–2013), https://www.jyu.fi/hallinto/strategia/en/UniversityofJyvskyllanguagepolicyactionplan2012.pdf

  • van Splunder, F. (2014). Negotiating multilingualism in Flemish higher education. In J. W. Unger, M. Krzyżanowski, & R. Wodak (Eds.), Multilingual encounters in Europe’s institutional spaces (pp. 221–242). London: Bloomsbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Splunder, F. (2015). A tale of two countries. Diverging policies on English-medium instruction in the Netherlands and Flanders. In B. Wilkinson & M. L. Walsh (Eds.), Integrating content and language in higher education: From theory to practice (pp. 89–98). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Splunder, F. (2016). Varieties of English in an international academic context. In Proceedings of the VSTS Colloquium, 2014. Leiden: Leiden University Repository, p. 15–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wächter, B. (2014). The European map of English-taught programmes in 2014: Results of a new ACA study. Paper presented at the ACA, Brussels, 4 December 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wächter, B., & Maiworm, F. (2008). English-taught programs in European higher education. The picture in 2007. In ACA papers on international cooperation in education. Bonn: Lemmens.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witte, E., & Van Velthoven, H. (1999). Language and politics. The Belgian case study in a historical perspective. Brussels: VUB University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wodak, R. (2006). Linguistic analyses in language policies. In T. Ricento (Ed.), An introduction to language policy. Theory and method (pp. 170–193). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wodak, R. (2009). The discourse of politics in action. Politics as usual. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wodak, R. & Meyer, M. (2009). Methods for Critical Discourse Analysis. London: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to Taina Saarinen (University of Jyväskylä) for providing insightful information on language policy issues in Finland. In addition, I would like to thank the editors, Elisabeth Barakos and Johnny Unger, for providing critical feedback on earlier versions of this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Frank van Splunder

Authors
  1. Frank van Splunder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Languages and Social Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Elisabeth Barakos

  2. Department of Linguistics and English Language, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom

    Johann W. Unger

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

van Splunder, F. (2016). Language Ideologies Regarding English-Medium Instruction in European Higher Education: Insights from Flanders and Finland. In: Barakos, E., W. Unger, J. (eds) Discursive Approaches to Language Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53134-6_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53134-6_9

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53133-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53134-6

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation