Bali, Borneo and Britain: From linguistic ecology to neuroscience

Presenter: Dr Thomas H. Bak, University of Edinburgh

UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics Research Seminar
In person research seminar – open to public, all are welcome

Thursday 20th March 2025, 5 – 6.30 pm
Room 433, Torrington Place 1-19
London WC1E 7HB

Abstract

Nearly a decade ago, Dina Mehmedbegovic-Smith and I contributed to the peer review of Language Education in the EU. Our “Healthy Linguistic Diet” framework emphasising positive effects of multilingualism on social, psychological and physical wellbeing across the lifespan was included into the guidance for EU member states based on the conducted review. During our recent lecture tour in Bali, Indonesia, we revised HLD in the light of linguistic diversity loss at the global level with Indonesia being one of eight countries with the 50 percent of the world endangered languages, according to UNESCO. My engagement in Bali was followed by another one in Borneo, Malaysia which further informed development of our new framework. Examining the tension between mono- and multilingualism in different places across the world highlights differences, but also common themes, which led us to identify that our HLD model has much to offer when extended to encompass linguistic ecology and sustainability as well as social justice in language education. Our new framework provides an alternative to currently dominating academic monolingualism, emphasising the value of epistemic diversity and aligning with the agenda of decolonisation.

Above: Thomas and Dina, Bali lecture tour, Feb 2025

Thomas Bak

Read Thomas’ biography.

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