Is Globalization Revitalizing Indigenous and Minority Languages in Chile?

Abstract

By the end of the 19th century, Chile had become immersed in the global economy, which gradually impacted language studies in the country. French, English and German were gradually integrated into the high school curriculum. Conversely, Indigenous languages, such as Aymara and Mapudungun were not included into the national curriculum until the creation of an intercultural bilingual education (IBE) program in 1993. In this study, I examine the intersection of globalization and language policies in Chile with specific emphasis on their impact on Chile’s Indigenous languages. I centered my investigation on answers to the following questions: (a) has globalization helped revitalize native and immigrant minority languages, and cultural diversity in Chile? (b) is globalization helping Indigenous languages achieve the prestige they have been denied for over six centuries? and (c) is current bilingual education implementation promoting equality of education, economic, and social opportunities for Indigenous and other minority language speakers? This study is based on a review of the literature and on an ethnographic analysis of data extracted from blogs and online commentaries.