The gift of Babel: multilingualism, diversity, and migrants

Abstract

Since the publication of Philippe Van Parijs' ‘Linguistic Justice’ (OUP, 2011) this research area has grown fast, but it has systematically neglected migration-induced diversity. Filling this lacuna, this paper expands on the logic of ‘Linguistic Justice’ and explores the integration of migrants' mother tongue into the education system of receiving societies. It proceeds thus. Having argued that Van Parijs' main opportunity-focused logic is no sufficient safeguard to a monolingual end-state (sect. I), I present additional reasons in favour of multilingualism (sect. II). Three paradigmatic sets of rules are discussed that can guide multilingual societies in deciding which further language to adopt in addition to a dominant institutional language: (a) laissez-faire, (b) territorial integration, and (c) accommodationist interaction. I shall argue that the third option accounts best for the new reality of migration-induced diversity and should inform concrete policies (sect. IV).