Research team
Investigating the challenges and language ideological assumptions of using English as a lingua franca in multi-phased institutional procedures in Flanders.
Abstract
This PhD project explores the role of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in direct and interpreter-mediated communication within high-stake institutional procedures in Flanders: investigations into possible sham relationships (IPSRs). It examines how ELF serves as a linguistic mediation strategy between institutional officers and non-Belgian applicants and how institutional and lay language ideologies shape interactions, influencing how information is interpreted and transformed into institutional evidence. Adopting a decolonial lens and a macro-meso-micro framework, this study analyzes: (1) how institutional structures and policies shape language use in IPSRs (macro), (2) how linguistic mediation is enacted and experienced by institutional officers, interpreters, and applicants (meso), and (3) how language ideologies manifest in real-time interactions, shaping institutional decision-making (micro). This research pioneers a holistic examination of the complete network of related institutions, practices and beliefs, offering key insights into their impact on procedural outcomes. It contributes to theoretical discussions on ELF and institutional language practices while providing evidence-based recommendations to enhance procedural fairness and maximize societal impact. Practical applications will include training workshops, intervisions, and knowledge-sharing initiatives with institutional officers, NGOs, and organizations involved in family reunification and migration policies.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Vandenbroucke Mieke
- Co-promoter: Brisard Frank
- Fellow: Bergen Sara
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
The use of English as a lingua franca in multi-phased institutional procedures in Belgium.
Abstract
In this project, we focus on the use of English, in both same-language or interpreted communication, as a linguistic mediation strategy between an institutional officer and a non-Belgian applicant in high-stakes institutional procedure: the marriage fraud investigation. In doing so, we topicalise not only the impact of hybridity and variation in (interpreted) spoken language use and its written reflection as evidence in the case report on the multi-phased investigation, but also the degree of (meta-)linguistic and language ideological awareness by the institution and its officers of the complexities inherently at play when adopting English as a(n) (interpreted) language in Belgian institutional casework.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Vandenbroucke Mieke
- Co-promoter: Brisard Frank
- Fellow: Bergen Sara
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project