Project: Multilingualism, Subalternity and Dominance of Single Language Networks
The Hegemony of English in the Multilingual Societies of India and South Africa
• General introduction
   
• Approach and assumptions
   
• Research objectives
   
• Project progress
   
• Research group
   
• Publications

Research Team of the Project "Multilingualism":

This project on "Multilingualism, Subalternity and Hegemony of English in India and South Africa" is based upon an international, interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration, resulting from a long-standing scientific co-operation in research, teaching and educational practice between persons and institutions involved in its realisation in Austria, Cameroon, Denmark, Germany, India, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland and USA.


Its Initiators are:

Patrick V. Dias, Dr. Phil., Dr. Theol., presently Professor emeritus, University of Frankfurt a. M., Germany, till 2000 holder the chair "Education and International Development Processes in 'Third World'" (EEP3W, formerly "Pädagogik : Dritte Welt"),
Visiting Professor, Centre for Educational Studies, Indian Institute of Education, Pune
dias@em.uni-frankfurt.de or mulinsa@vsnl.net or pv.dias@multilingualism.net

and

Neville Alexander, Dr. Phil., presently Director of the "Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa" (PRAESA), based at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Convenor of the Advisory Panel on Language Policy and Planning to the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology and Member of the Western Cape Language Committee (Former Chairperson of the Working Committee on Language Policy for Higher Education), nalexand@beattie.uct.ac.za

Both of them have developed through their activities extensive national and international contacts. Relevant collaborations for the realisation of the project on Multilingualism are a.o.:


In India:

Indian Institute of Education (IIE), Pune with its academic Centre for Educational Studies (CES), to which the research implementation in India is attached. At the IIE the organisational set-up of the Project is located at the J. P. Naik Centre for Education and Development.
A working collaboration for issues related to the diversity of languages in science and technology has been established with the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.
A partnership for schools surveys has been agreed upon with Aapanach, Pune - a NGO active, mainly in educational issues.
Angels English-medium Nursery and Primary School, Amborá, Goa, will be used as demonstration school for bilingual education.
The Research team in India working under the direction of Prof. Patrick V. Dias is composed of:


Researchers on contract:

Zena Antao B. Com., supporting maintenance of the mother tongue Konkani in the English medium Angels Primary School in Amborá, Goa;
Celso Dias B.A. (Maths.), M. A. (Pol.Sc.), B. Ed., LL.B., Principal High School; Nagoa, Editorial Board member for Textbooks and Curriculum for State Institute of Education, Govt. of Goa (Standards I to VII), Academic Council member of Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, from 1992 to 2000: Schooling practices in Goa and implementation of the Three Lang. Formula, Implementation of Bilingual Education in the Angels Primary School;
Pranita Gopal B.Sc., M. Ed., M.A. (English - finishing): Teaching materials for bilingual education, including Computer aided teaching materials;
Sridhara Mishra M.A. (Soc.), M. Phil.(Soc.), cand. PhD. (JNU): gender, language and literacy practices among different target groups;
Mrudul Patil B.Sc. (Geology) M. Sc. (Anthropology), Project Coordinator; Area of activity : Care of bibliographical and documentary basis of the Project MLIN; coordination of research activities; organisational tasks;
Lulabi Pattanayak M. A. (Economics, 1990), Diploma in Japanese; M. Ed. (1996) Visva-Bharati University Santiniketan, West Bengal, Ph. D. scholar at Utkal Univ., Bhubaneswar; Areas of activities: use of Santhali language in schools and adequate teaching methods; Literacy among tribal women : Santhal Women of Mayurbhanja district of Orissa (PhD. 2003); analysis of Tagore's educational conceptions, expressed in his Bengali writings.


Researchers in Institutions with co-operation agreement:

Aruna Giri PhD., Member of Board of Trustees IIE, Head, Dept. of English, SIWS NR Swamy College of Commerce and Economics: relation between home-language, second-language and English;
B. M. Naikare M.A., M.Ed., Coordinator J.P.Naik Centre f. Education & Development: assessing literacies at grass-roots levels;
Suman Karandikar PhD., retired Director CES, IIE, Member of Aapanach: comparative empirical study of media of instruction in Maharashtra;
Anita Patwardhan PhD., Research Officer Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbooks (English),
Member of Aapanach: comparative empirical study of media of instruction in Maharashtra ;

Research Group at the HBCSE:
Chitra Natarajan PhD. (Physics), Associate Professor HBCSE for Science and Society: relevance of design and technology to school education, curriculum development and implementation in demonstration schools;
Sugra Chunawala PhD. (Soc.), Senior Staff Member HBCSE for Science and Gender: technology education and gender, curriculum implementation;
Swati Mehrotra M.Sc., Research Associate HBCSE: gender issues and technology ed.;
Ritesh Khunyakari M.Sc., Research associate HBCSE: technology curriculum.


Consulted Group of Scholars:

Vathsala Aithal MA., cand. Dr. Phil., Research Assistant (till 2000) Education and International Developments, University of Frankfurt a. M.
Dr. Probal Dasgupta PhD. 1980 (New York University), Professor at the University of Hyderabad, Centre for Applied Linguistics and Translation Studies since 1989; since 2001, Dean of the School of Humanities; and since 2000, Director of Study India Program
Dr. Chitra Naik PhD., Chairperson Board of Tustees IIE, till 1997 Member of Planning Commission, Gov. of India, for Education;
Dr. Lachman M. Kubchandani MA., PhD., Professor (em.) of Linguistics, Director Centre for Communication Studies, Pune;
Dr. Manmath Kundu Principal of Rajdhani College, Bhubaneswar, Orissa; he was Director of Academy of Tribal Dialects and Culture, Government of Orissa, also Director of English Language Teaching Institute (ELTI), Bhubaneswar
Dr. Ajit Mohanty Professor at Zakir Hussein Centre at the JNU, Delhi; formerly Professor Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Centre of Advanced Studies in Psychology
Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak PhD in Linguistics (Cornell, USA); Professor Emmeritus Utkal University, Bhubaneswar; Chairman NCTE (National Council Teacher Education)- Eastern Region; Founder Director Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore (1969-1989); Honorary Prof. Of Linguistics, Deccan College, Pune; Chairman, Indian Institute of Applied Language Sciences.
Dr. Robert Phillipson Dr.phil. 1990 (University of Amsterdam) is Research Professor at the Department of English, Copenhagen Business School; previously with the British Council 1964-1973.
Dr. Anita Rampal PhD. (Physics), is Professor of Elementary and Social Education at the Faculty of Education, Delhi University (India). Earlier at the Faculty of Education Jamia Millia Islamia
Dr. Pabitra Sarkar till July 2003 Vice-Chairman West Bengal State Council of Higher Education, Kolkata; Formerly Professor of Bengali in Jadavpur University; and Vice Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University.
Dr. Tove Skutnabb-Kangas PhD, is Guest Researcher at Department of Languages and Culture, Roskilde University, Denmark, and Docent in Minority Education and Linguistic Human Rights at University of Osthrobotnia, Åbo Akademi, Finland. She is Vice-President of Terralingua.



In South Africa:

PRAESA (Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa) has been involved since 1992 in language planning, language policy development at national and provincial levels and especially in the development of language policy in education .
The Research team in South Africa working under the direction of Dr. Neville Alexander is composed of:


Researchers on contract:

Carole Bloch BA Psychology (UCT), Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Institute of Education, London, Certificate in Early Childhood Development (Froebel), cand. PhD.(Oldenburg). Early childhood literacy specialist, teacher education, research, materials development
Xolisa Guzula B Prim Ed, M Phil (in progress). Research: impact of free reading in schools on children's education
Zanele Mbude Dip Sen Ed, HDE, B Sc (Educ), B Ed, M Ed (in progress). Researcher in Science Education and Language; teacher trainer in bilingual education
Ntombizanele Nkence HDE, FDE, B Ed, Teacher - Early Childhood Literacy
Peter Plüddemann M Phil (UWC)
Zola Wababa SPTD (RAU), FDE (UCT), B Ed (UCT). Collecting data for Western Cape Language survey and for Natural Science terminology in or around isiXhosa with primary teachers (STIX Project)


Researchers on M Phil Programme:

Antoinette Cloete hegemonic position of English in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature;
Michelle October status of English and its effects on matric examination results in Western Cape.