#3932. State policymakers on Latvian, English, and Russian in higher education in Latvia: language ideological debates through the lens of argumentation analysis

August 2026publication date
Proposal available till 20-05-2025
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Journal’s subject area:
Language and Linguistics;
Linguistics and Language;
Education;
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Abstract:
By using argumentation analysis, the study explores policymakers’ statements in two public debates: on the use of Russian as a medium of instruction (May 20XX–June 20XX) and on the use of English as a language of doctoral theses (November–December 20XX). The paper shows that the main difference of opinion among policymakers is about the role of the state in university language policies. Through a focus on the discursive elements in policymaking, four responses to language use in academia are outlined: firstly, the dominant nationalising discourse, which is reinforced to insist on the need for the state to continue with its nationalising language policies; secondly, the globalising discourse, which is manifested in the statements of the same policymakers to justify the state’s support to English, but not Russian; the final two discourses emphasise that universities should be autonomous to implement their own language policies, yet one of these is solely used to argue for institutional autonomy.
Keywords:
argumentation analysis; higher education; language ideological debates; Language policy; state

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