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thelinguist.uberflip.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 23 FEATURES Dynamics', linguists will study trans-Arabic cancer communities, and international relations researchers will explore the discourse of extremist material released by terrorist groups such as ISIS. Questions around the role of language in peace-building are central to one of the strands of 'Multilingualism: Empowering individuals, transforming societies' (MEITS), which will look at language and identity in post-conflict Northern Ireland, working with partners in the devolved government and in community groups. Several projects aim to influence the curriculum in languages and the experience of language learners. For example, in 'Language Acts and Worldmaking', one strand focuses on university and secondary curricula, working with pupils to pilot new materials at the key transition points that have often acted as barriers to progression, and seeking to mobilise the skills many pupils have from their home languages. 'Language Acts and Worldmaking' is also among the projects incorporating innovative digital components. Its 'Digital Mediations' strand will discuss methodologies for studying digital content from a multilingual perspective, assessing the extent to which digital data represents a meaningful record accessible to ML research and teaching. In some projects, there is collaboration with particular groups of scientists. 'Creative Multilingualism', for example, is working with ornithologists on the similarities and differences between linguistic diversity and biodiversity, with a focus on birdsong. MEITS, meanwhile, has a strand led by neuroscientists working, in partnership with bodies such as Age UK, on the cognitive benefits of learning languages in delaying early-onset Alzheimer's and in helping stroke recovery patients. INSPIRING NEW GENERATIONS In addition to formal partnerships with researchers in education, all projects are working closely with schools in the secondary sector, helping to re-energise the position of languages in many schools so that pupils see the value of studying modern languages and know what choices are available to them in career terms. While the projects' work with schools aims to inspire a future generation of students, the research teams will train a whole new generation of researchers in the form of postdoctoral research fellows and PhD students, who are crucial members of all four teams. ML research is extremely strong in the UK, as a glance at the 2014 Research Excellence Framework report for Modern Languages and Linguistics reveals. 2 The Open World projects are taking this strength in new directions, aiming to show the value of the discipline in the contemporary world and to inspire a new generation of linguists. Notes 1 E.g, the Worton Report (2009) Hefce (bit.ly/2ud5Qpw); 'Language Matters' (2009) British Academy (bit.ly/2tIuOts); 'The Value of Languages' (2015) University of Cambridge (bit.ly/20GjLtS) 2 www.ref.ac.uk/pubs/201401 BENEFITS OF DIVERSITY Many of the projects will look at multilingual communities. Brixton Village market is among London's many vibrant multicultural areas Language Acts and Worldmaking Foregrounding language's power to shape how we live and make our worlds, with six strands, ranging from 'Diasporic Identities' to 'Digital Mediations'. Led by King's College London with partner researchers in Westminster, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the Open University. languageacts.org Creative Multilingualism Seven interlocking strands investigating the creative dimension of languages, from cognition and production through to performance, translation and language learning. Led by the University of Oxford with partners in Birmingham, City, Reading, Cambridge, SOAS and Pittsburgh. www.creativeml.ox.ac.uk Cross-Language Dynamics: Reshaping community Aiming to re-conceptualise the relationship between language and community for the benefit of a more open world, exploring the role languages play in key issues such as social cohesion, health and diplomacy. Led by Manchester University with co-researchers in Durham and the Institute of Modern Languages Research (IMLR). projects.alc.manchester.ac.uk/ cross-language-dynamics Multilingualism: Empowering individuals, transforming societies Six research strands, ranging from literature and film to education, linguistics and cognitive science, investigating how languages are vital for cultural understanding, social cohesion and wellbeing. Led by the University of Cambridge with co-researchers in Queen's Belfast, Nottingham and Edinburgh. www.meits.org PROJECT DETAILS © SHUTTERSTOCK