A Book Review: Language and Culture on the Margins: Global/Local Interactions S. Kroon, & J. Swanenberg (Eds.) (2019). Routledge

Abstract

Summary The focus of this book, which is a collection of twelve studies, is sociolinguistic transformations in marginal contexts that are not usually covered by mainstream publications. The term ‘margin’ in these studies refers to smaller nations and communities located in the peripheries of global hubs. The book includes online margins as well, contemplating the impact of the internet and mobile devices on people’s lives, where standard programs and instruments employed in informal settings are often not applicable. The collection is published on time when the notion of margins and language needs rethinking and reinterpretation. The topics can be characterized as interdisciplinary, and as such the chapters are densely intertwined with both linguistic and social issues, including the impact of technology on the creation of language varieties, the effect of territorial administration on identity development, the role of media in spreading the languages of subcultures, the effect of mobile phones on the transformation of identities. The methods include linguistic landscaping, content analysis, interviews and conversations, and participant observation. Although some chapters employ a combination of several methods, most studies have used a dominant method to collect data. The editors have collected diverse topics of sociolinguistics in this book, which is a very helpful resource for educational institutions, where theories and methods of applied linguistics are a part of their curriculum. It is also a unique complementary literature useful for junior students of applied linguistics who are in the process of exploring research topics in less discussed contexts. The review combines both descriptive and critical approaches, and includes an overview of each case study and their research methods.