Language and Power: Voices and Experiences

Join an insightful event where individuals from various backgrounds discuss the intricate relationship between language and power.

• Loana Aminian, sociolinguist specialized in endangered minority languages and cultures, Austrian Academy of Sciences and University of Vienna
• Mukhtar Omar, Student, Birmingham
• Mohammad Anser Aly, Head of Unilever's Global Learning & Leadership Development Centre, Four Acres Singapore

This panel brings together academics, and everyday people to share their experiences and perspectives on how language shapes and is shaped by power dynamics in society. The panel explores how language can be a tool of empowerment, control, and resistance.

It examines how language influences social structures, identity, and access to resources and opportunities. Through personal stories and expert analyses, the panel aims to shed light on the multifaceted nature of language and its impact on power relations.

Professor Yaron will introduce the main language communities, with a focus on the language of the city’s Muslim populations. He will discuss how information on languages is compiled, what functions languages have, and what multilingual spaces exist in the city.

Hosted by: Yaron Matras, author and former Professor of Linguistics, University of Manchester.

Chief Guest: John Claughton, former Chief Master of King Edward's School, Birmingham, and co-founder of WoLLoW, World of Languages, Languages of the World.

Host or Publisher MACFEST - Muslim Arts and Culture Festival.