Language and Political Conflict

Ethnolinguistic conflict is an increasingly important phenomenon, both in new states of Central Asia and Eastern Europe as well as in such established states as the UK and France. To understand the sources of ethnolinguistic conflict and the possibility for alternatives to violence, it is important to examine the historical development of conflict. Why does ethnolinguistic difference lead, in some cases, to violence? What is the role of political leadership in supporting or reducing violent conflict associated with ethnicity and language? How do political leaders in some contexts use ethnolinguistic issues for their own political purposes? This article examines a recent, important case of ethnolinguistic conflict: the violent breakup of Yugoslavia. Focusing on language policy, the article traces the shift from pluralist language policies to centralist policies, and argues that this shift was part of a strategy of Serbian leaders to mobilize the population along ethnolinguistic lines, to gain control of the federal government in Belgrade, and to bring about the dissolution of the Yugoslav state

Scholarship and Activism on Language

Language teachers and language researchers have the most detailedand reliable knowledge about language in society, yet in manylanguage-policy debates, teachers and researchers play only amarginal role. Instead, public discussion of language is oftendominated by anecdote rather than research evidence, disorganizedanalysis of language problems, and a disregard for the expertise oflanguage professionals. This paper proposes explanations for thefailure of language professionals to have impact on language policy byfocusing on the tension between two competing responsibilities oflanguage professionals: to develop theoretically sound understandingsof language in society, and to apply those understandings to thesolution of important language problems. It is argued that threeimportant factors affect language-policy debates: tension between the“objectivity” of scientific research and the demands of social activism;the role of “common sense” in policy discussion; and the failure oflanguage specialists to understand how to be effective in the rough-and-tumble struggles of language politics

Representation and Legitimization in Political Discourse: The Campaign against Bilingual Education

In many university reading and discussion classes, students are taught to critically examine logical arguments and the use of evidence in persuasive texts. Although these skills are important in reading and writing, many persuasive texts, including common forms of political discourse, rely on discursive processes that routinely violate the standards of logic and scientific discourse. To analyze such texts, students should develop skills in critical discourse analysis (CDA). This article examines two important processes in CDA: representation and legitimization. Examples from the campaign against bilingual education in the United States demonstrate how analysis of representation and legitimization offers students useful tools for analyzing persuasive texts and for understanding the structure and impact of political discourse

"Talking Race" in University Classes: A Discourse Analytical Approach

Many university classes introduce issues of race and racism –topics that are difficult for some people to discuss openly. The ICUELP Program, for example, includes challenging readings on raceand racism as a focus for class discussion and writing assignments.In this article, we discuss an approach to the analysis of race andracism that can help students apply their critical thinking skills tothis important topic. We argue that focusing on the discourse ofrace offers rich opportunities for class discussion and studentwriting. Specifically, we summarize critical discourse analysis,particularly its understanding of the concept of “racism,” and weprovide suggestions and examples for its use in class

Measurement of the Strong Coupling Constant from Inclusive Jet Production at the Tevatron pˉp\bar pp Collider

We report a measurement of the strong coupling constant, $\alpha_s(M_Z)$, extracted from inclusive jet production in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$1800 GeV. The QCD prediction for the evolution of $\alpha_s$ with jet transverse energy $E_T$ is tested over the range 40<$E_T$<450 GeV using $E_T$ for the renormalization scale. The data show good agreement with QCD in the region below 250 GeV. In the text we discuss the data-theory comparison in the region from 250 to 450 GeV. The value of $\alpha_s$ at the mass of the $Z^0$ boson averaged over the range 40<$E_T$<250 GeV is found to be $\alpha_s(M_{Z})= 0.1178 \pm 0.0001{(\rm stat)}^{+0.0081}_{-0.0095}{\rm (exp. syst)}$. The associated theoretical uncertainties are mainly due to the choice of renormalization scale (^{+6%}_{-4%}) and input parton distribution functions (5%).Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, using RevTeX. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Measurement of Rapidity Distribution for High Mass Drell-Yan ee Pairs at CDF

We report on the first measurement of the rapidity distribution dsigma/dy over nearly the entire kinematic region of rapidity for e^+e^- pairs in the Z-boson region of 66116 GeV/c^2. The data sample consists of 108 pb^{-1} of ppbar collisions at \sqrt{s}=1.8 TeV taken by the Collider Detector at Fermilab during 1992--1995. The total cross section in the $Z$-boson region is measured to be 252 +- 11 pb. The measured total cross section and d\sigma/dy are compared with quantum chromodynamics calculations in leading and higher orders.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Search for a Fourth-Generation Quark More Massive than the Z0 Boson in ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV

We present the results of a search for pair production of a fourth-generation charge -1/3 quark (b') in sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV ppbar collisions using 88 pb^(-1) of data obtained with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We assume that both quarks decay via the flavor-changing neutral current process b' -> bZ and that the b' mass is greater than m_Z + m_b. We studied the decay mode b'b'bar -> ZZ b bbar where one Z0 decays into e^+e^- or mu^+ mu^- and the other decays hadronically, giving a signature of two leptons plus jets. An upper limit on the cross section of ppbar -> b'b'bar times [BR (b' -> bZ)]^2 is established as a function of the b' mass. We exclude at 95% confidence level a b' quark with mass between 100 and 199 GeV/c^2 for BR(b' -> bZ) = 100%.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters on 9/12/9

Inclusive Search for Anomalous Production of High-pT Like-Sign Lepton Pairs in Proton-Antiproton Collisions at sqrt{s}=1.8 TeV

We report on a search for anomalous production of events with at least two charged, isolated, like-sign leptons with pT > 11 GeV/c using a 107 pb^-1 sample of 1.8 TeV ppbar collisions collected by the CDF detector. We define a signal region containing low background from Standard Model processes. To avoid bias, we fix the final cuts before examining the event yield in the signal region using control regions to test the Monte Carlo predictions. We observe no events in the signal region, consistent with an expectation of 0.63^(+0.84)_(-0.07) events. We present 95% confidence level limits on new physics processes in both a signature-based context as well as within a representative minimal supergravity (tanbeta = 3) model.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. Minor textual changes, cosmetic improvements to figures and updated and expanded reference

Measurement of the lepton charge asymmetry in W-boson decays produced in p-pbar collisions

We describe a measurement of the charge asymmetry of leptons from W boson decays in the rapidity range 0 enu, munu events from 110+/-7 pb^{-1}of data collected by the CDF detector during 1992-95. The asymmetry data constrain the ratio of d and u quark momentum distributions in the proton over the x range of 0.006 to 0.34 at Q2 \approx M_W^2. The asymmetry predictions that use parton distribution functions obtained from previously published CDF data in the central rapidity region (0.0<|y_l|<1.1) do not agree with the new data in the large rapidity region (|y_l|>1.1).Comment: 13 pages, 3 tables, 1 figur

Search for the Supersymmetric Partner of the Top-Quark in ppˉp \bar{p} Collisions at s=1.8TeV\sqrt{s} = 1.8 {\rm TeV}

We report on a search for the supersymmetric partner of the top quark (stop) produced in $t \bar{t}$ events using $110 {\rm pb}^{-1}$ of $p \bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.8 {\rm TeV}$ recorded with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. In the case of a light stop squark, the decay of the top quark into stop plus the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) could have a significant branching ratio. The observed events are consistent with Standard Model $t \bar{t}$ production and decay. Hence, we set limits on the branching ratio of the top quark decaying into stop plus LSP, excluding branching ratios above 45% for a LSP mass up to 40 {\rm GeV/c}$^{2}$.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure