Endangered languages have become an issue of political contestation in many countries in South-East Asia. As they work to promote a single national culture, states often seek to limit the opportunities for using minority languages in the public sphere, schools, the media, and elsewhere, sometimes even prohibiting them altogether. Sometimes ethnic groups are forcibly resettled, or children may be removed to be schooled away from home, or otherwise have their chances of cultural and linguistic continuity disrupted. This seminar will address issues of governance and policy in relation to endangered languages.
