Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine from a historical and comparative perspective issues of identity, language, and language policy in the Diaspora. The Greek communities, in regard to selected countries and over time, until the 1950s, and in part until the beginning of the twentieth century, are taken as an example.
The first chapter (Diaspora, Language, Identity), following conceptual clarifications, introduces the reader to the Greek Diaspora, so that the analyses that follow can be comprehensible. The first chapter also attempts to provide answers to the following fundamental questions: (a) Can the Diaspora exist without a Reference Center? and (b) Can identity exist without language?
The second chapter (Language and Language Policies) examines ways in which to best address languages of origin (languages of ethnic groups) from the dominant group. For this reason, the second chapter is divided into three subsections each of which provides a different way to address languages of origin that include: language as an “obstacle” language as a “difference” and finally, language as a “resource”.
The third chapter (Language as Self-Value and Socialization Factor) approaches the subject from a pedagogical perspective, discussing the socialization role of the ethnic language. The paper recapitulates with an overall discussion and some conclusions.
The analyses are principally driven at a macro level (comparisons between language policies of countries) and attempt to provide a theoretical perspective and interpret empirical data.
The mid-level analyses aim is to approach the issue from the perspective of ethnic communities, whereas the individual level analyses concern the socialization role of the language of origin.
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Damanakis, M. (2016). Identity, Language, and Language Policies in the Diaspora: Historical-Comparative Approach. In: Trifonas, P., Aravossitas, T. (eds) Handbook of Research and Practice in Heritage Language Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38893-9_9-1
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