Seminar on Linguistic Policy, Linguistic Planning and Evaluation (LPLPE25/26)

Presentation

Latin America is a region of high linguistic and cultural complexity, whose diversity not only shapes a pluri-identity but also reflects tensions and inequalities stemming from historical processes of marginalization and colonialism. At the same time, this diversity provides fertile ground for promoting dialogue, critical reflection, and the development of strategies that foster linguistic justice and inclusion in various spheres of social, educational, and political life.

Within the framework of the research project C5703, and in collaboration with the Esperantist Studies Foundation (ESF) and the Centro de Esploro kaj Dokumentado pri Mondaj Lingvaj Problemoj (CED), the Institute for Linguistic Research (INIL) is organizing the workshop Language Policy and Language Planning, whose central theme is “Languages in Latin America and their challenges in the 21st century.”

The workshop is conceived as an international forum dedicated to the critical discussion of language policy and planning in Latin America, fostering scholarly exchange and interdisciplinary dialogue where researchers, educators, and specialists can share experiences, compare theoretical and practical approaches, and explore solutions that recognize and strengthen linguistic diversity as an indispensable social and cultural resource.

As part of the workshop activities, the Nitobe 2026 Symposium will be held, an international forum promoted by the CED, whose purpose is the development of linguistic democracy and linguistic rights. The symposium’s central theme will be Linguistic Justice and Institutionality in Latin America. The workshop will take place from August 3 to 7, 2026, and will offer simultaneous translation services to facilitate participation of the attendants.

Given their academic and social relevance, both the Language Policy and Language Planning Workshop and the Nitobe 2026 Symposium have been declared of institutional interest through Resolution R-502-2025, in accordance with Resolution R-177-2021.

General Objective

The seminar seeks to establish a collaborative forum that fosters dialogue and the exchange of ideas among researchers, educators, and students in the fields of language policy, language planning, and the critical evaluation of language policies, with a focus on addressing the challenges and opportunities of contemporary language governance.

Specific Objectives

Analyze the linguistic situation in Latin America and Costa Rica applying the frameworks of Language Policy and Language Planning to identify key challenges and opportunities.
Propose solutions regarding Linguistic Justice to address inequalities among languages and their relationship with human rights.
Update theoretical and practical knowledge in Language Policy and Language Planning, while strengthening academic ties to foster cooperation and optimize research resources.
Disseminate progress and research results that promote the recognition of linguistic diversity and the strengthening of linguistic rights.

Presenter’s Profiles

Dr. Carla Amorós Negre(https://www.aesla.org.es/es/user/carlitausales): University of Salamanca, Spain. Specialist in General Linguistics, with expertise in language policy, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and linguistic anthropology. She is the deputy director of the Official Master’s Program “Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language” at the University of Salamanca and the director of the Master’s Program in Hispanic Language and Culture.
Dr. Michele Gazzola (https://www.michelegazzola.com/): Ulster University, United Kingdom. Associate professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Applied Politics, with a specializing in Public Policy and Administration. His research focuses on the analysis and evaluation of language policies, as well as the study of multilingualism from a political, economic, and social perspective. He is the editor of the international journal Language Problems and Language Planning (LPLP).
Dr. Alice Leal (https://benjamins.com/catalog/persons/655090670): University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies at the School of Literature, Languages and Media. Her research areas are translation studies and multilingualism. She is a book review editor for the international journal Language Problems and Language Planning (LPLP).
Dr. Mark Fettes (https://www.sfu.ca/education/faculty-profiles/mfettes.html): Simon Fraser University, Canada. Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education. His research areas focus on the preservation and revitalization of indigenous languages, cultural diversity, and the management of multilingualism in the context of globalization.
Bach. Ali García: University of Costa Rica. Advisor on Bribri language and culture in the Faculty of Letters. He is the author of the books Se’ dör stë̀. Somos arte: las enseñanzas del awá, 2021, Costa Rica: Impresos GIK; and Ditsö̀ rukuö̀: Identidad de las semillas. Formación desde la naturaleza, 2016, Switzerland: IUCN.
Dr. René Zúñiga Argüello (https://www.facultadfilosofia.una.ac.cr/index.php/investigacion?view=article&id=525:reneza&catid=26): National University of Costa Rica. Professor at the School of Literature and Language Sciences, with an emphasis in Linguistics, and coordinator of the Central American Linguistics Program. His research focuses on the creole languages spoken on the Caribbean coast of Central America, particularly the varieties spoken from Belize to Panama.
Dr. Carlos Sánchez Avendaño (https://filologia.ucr.ac.cr/personal/profesorado/carlos-sanchez-avendano/): University of Costa Rica. Full Professor in the Faculty of Letters, specializing in Linguistics. His research area is endangered languages: language displacement, documentation, and revitalization. He is the author of the books La traducción de Guillermo Gabb del Evangelio según san Juan al bribri y su contexto de producción, 2025, Costa Rica: Centro de Investigación en Identidad y Cultura Latinoamericanas; La cola de la iguana. El pueblo malecu ante el desplazamiento de su lengua y su cultura tradicional, 2015, Costa Rica: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica; and coautor of Diccionario malecu-español / español-maleu, 2023, Costa Rica: Editorial Tecnológica de Costa Rica.
Dr. Joseph Farquharson (https://www.mona.uwi.edu/dllp/postgrad/joseph-t-farquharson): University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Associate professor in the Department of Language, Linguistics, and Philosophy. His research interests include descriptive linguistics of Caribbean languages, lexicography, morphology, anthropological linguistics, and cultural studies. His publications include Sung speech acts: Towards an analysis of participant roles in Jamaican dancehall music (2017) and Linguistic ideologies and the historical development of language use patterns in Jamaican music (2017).
Enrique López-Hurtado (https://ich.unesco.org/es-estado/costa-rica-CR?info=contactos): Responsible for coordinating the Culture sector at the UNESCO regional office for Central America, Mexico and Colombia.
Dr. Cecilia Gialdini (https://ceciliagialdini.com/): Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her research focuses on linguistic justice and minority rights, including indigenous peoples, traditional minorities, and emerging minorities such as migrants and refugees. She is currently working on the project “Can language heal society? Language rights in peacebuilding and decolonisation,” which examines the intersections between linguistic justice and transitional justice, investigating institutional and community initiatives that promote justice and reconciliation through language in Northern Ireland, Colombia, and Norway.
Dr. Marielos Murillo (https://vinv.ucr.ac.cr/sigpro/web/researchers/204160014): University of Costa Rica. Full Professor in the Faculty of Education, at the School of Teacher Training. She is the author of the books Test de vocabulario para preescolares costarricenses de 3 a 6 años, 2011, Costa Rica: University of Costa Rica Press; Creciendo en palabras la enseñanza del vocabulario en la escuela primaria. Manual para maestros de primer ciclo de la educación básica, 2011, Costa Rica: University of Costa Rica Press; and co-author of the books Disponibilidad y riqueza léxica en los niños preescolares costarricenses, 2006, Costa Rica: University of Costa Rica Press; and Léxico básico de los niños preescolares costarricenses, 2002, Costa Rica: University of Costa Rica Press.

Descriptors

Language barrier
Bilingualism
Linguistic change
Language behavior
Bilingual education
Mother tongue teaching
Second language teaching
Esperanto
Ethnolinguistics
Philosophy (cultural, political)
Linguistic research
International auxiliary language
Foreign language
National language
Controlled languages
Linguistics
Linguistic minority
Multilingualism
Cultural policy
Language policy
Sociolinguistics
Language unification

Participants

This seminar is intended for:

Researchers
Specialists
University students
Professionals in Language Policy, Language Planning, Linguistic Justice, and Language Law

Organizers

Coordinator: Dr. Jorge Antonio Leoni de León
Collaborating researchers: Dr. Gabriela Cruz Volio and M.L. Ericka Vargas Castro

Note

This Seminar has the support of the Institute of Linguistic Research (INIL), the Vice-Rectorate for Research (http://www.vinv.ucr.ac.cr/) and the Esperantic Studies Foundation (ESF, http://www.esperantic.org/), and it is registered with the Vice-Rectorate for Research, code C5703 (https://vinv.ucr.ac.cr/sigpro/web/projects/C5703).