Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Future of Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
[PDF]
Applying Bacchi’s WPR Framework to Analyse Neoliberal Multiculturalism in Ireland’s Languages Connect Strategy
Jun Yan
ABSTRACT:
This article employs Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to Be?” (WPR) approach to critically evaluate Ireland’s Languages Connect Strategy (2017–2026), the national policy for foreign language education. By applying the WPR framework’s seven-step process, the study analyses how the policy constructs and frames the issue of language education, examining its underlying assumptions, implications, and potential consequences. Specifically, the study investigates how the policy represents the “problem”, identifies presuppositions about language learning, and explores its effects on minority and immigrant communities while also addressing policy implementation challenges. The analysis reveals that neoliberal multiculturalism significantly influences foreign language policy in Ireland, prioritising economic competitiveness over cultural inclusion and support for minority languages. Using NVivo and reflective thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2019), the study examines how the intersecting forces of neoliberalism and nationalism frame language education. The findings indicate that the strategy primarily views language acquisition as an economic tool, emphasising global languages while preserving Irish as a symbol of national identity. However, the study also highlights inadequacies in the strategy’s implementation, particularly its limited engagement with the socio-cultural dimensions of language education. Challenges such as teacher shortages and insufficient support for lesser-taught languages are identified. This study recommends a more comprehensive approach that aligns economic objectives with cultural inclusion and better addresses the linguistic needs of minority and immigrant communities.
keywords: Ireland Languages, Connect Strategy, Bacchi’s WPR, framework, Neoliberal, multiculturalism, Foreign language education Policy analysis