Asia is a linguistically diverse region, but this diversity is currently under threat. After centuries of colonisation and decades of rapid development, communities throughout Asia are facing distinct and urgent challenges to defend their rights to language in the face of discrimination, exclusion, and violence. How are Indigenous people and languages across Asia responding to this situation? Who decides which languages deserve attention and resources? How can awareness of Indigenous languages be raised and new political agendas promoted?

As the world enters what UNESCO has declared as the Decade of Indigenous Languages we will explore these issues with several researchers from Asia - people who speak, advocate for, or research some of the region’s many Indigenous languages.

Speakers:

Chair: Associate Professor Bec Strating, Director, La Trobe Asia

Recorded on 22 February 2022.