"Successful" Migration, (English) Language Skills and Global Inequality: The Case of Bangladeshi Migrants to The Middle East

Autor/inn/en	Erling, Elizabeth J.; Chowdhury, Qumrul Hasan; Solly, Mike; Seargeant, Philip
Titel	"Successful" Migration, (English) Language Skills and Global Inequality: The Case of Bangladeshi Migrants to The Middle East
Quelle	In: Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication, 38 (2019) 3, S.253-281 (29 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Erling, Elizabeth J.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0167-8507
DOI	10.1515/multi-2018-0021
Schlagwörter	Migration; Labor Market; Overseas Employment; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Foreign Countries; Employment Potential; Language Attitudes; Economic Factors; Language Role; Language Planning; Language Variation; Employment Opportunities; Participant Characteristics; Bangladesh; Asia; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Labour market; Arbeitsmarkt; Auslandstätigkeit; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Ausland; Arbeitsmarktbezogene Qualifikation; Beschäftigungsfähigkeit; Sprachverhalten; Ökonomischer Faktor; Sprachwechsel; Sprachenvielfalt; Berufschance; Beschäftigungschance; Bangladesch; Asien; Saudi-Arabien; Vereinigte Arabische Emirate
Abstract	Migration has become a vital element of the Bangladeshi economy, which has led to an increasing focus on providing Bangladeshis with the skills needed on the international labour market. English is often cited as one of these skills, and previous research has shown that a primary reason why Bangladeshis wish to learn English is due to its perceived value for pursuing work abroad (Erling, Elizabeth J., Philip Seargeant, Mike Solly, Qumrul H Chowdhury, & Sayeedur Rahman. 2012. "Attitudes to English as a language for international development in rural Bangladesh." London: British Council. Available online at http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/attitudes-english-a-language-international-development-rural-bangladesh.). The extent to which English is of value in economic migration, however, has been underexplored in research (Coleman, Hywel. 2010. "The English language in development." London: British Council. Available at http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/english-language-development.). Drawing on data from a qualitative study which provides new insights into the experiences and perceptions of a cohort of returnee migrants, this article investigates the perceived value of (English) language skills for migration. The study finds that economic migrants see the advantages of having particular skills, especially English, for economic gain. However, applying a capabilities lens to their narratives (Sen, Amartya. 1999. "Development as freedom." Oxford: Oxford University Press.) reveals the difficulties of classifying their experiences in terms of "success" given the deeply embedded structural issues and challenges the participants report facing. This article therefore questions assumptions that language skills can be transformational when social inequality is (re)produced in the context of migration. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01