Language in public participation: Understanding and overcoming language and culture barriers in the political participation of people of migrant origin

Abstract

As is the case in any other social domain, political life is constituted in and by language. In the political sphere, language crucially serves as a medium of communication, encompassing the dissemination of political messages, the presentation of agendas, the discussion of ideas and the negotiation of policies. However, language is not only a neutral tool for communication. Research in sociolinguistics and applied linguistics has shown the multifaceted nature of language, which is inherently entangled with culture and identity and it is indexed to the social, cultural and economic status of speakers. Language, along with other factors such as nationality, ethnicity and race, influences how individuals are perceived by the public and how they perceive themselves in social contexts. Understanding the intricate relationship between language, culture and identity in the symbolic field of politics, a neglected area of inquiry, is essential for a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities faced by migrant candidates standing for election to local council. This task is even more important in the Irish context where migrant people are vastly underrepresented in politics. Drawing on interviews with 13 people of migrant origin, this project documents in their own words their perceptions and experiences about the language and culture challenges they encounter in the course of their political activity at the local level in Ireland. More precisely, this study delves into the nature of linguistic and cultural barriers and their influence on the political pursuits of migrant candidates, while also exploring potential strategies that will allow greater access to public participation. The main findings of the study are: - Most of the migrant participants in this study do not consider language as a barrier to their particular political involvement. A few participants with English as an additional language (EAL) encounter minor communication issues, but believe that these have minimal political impact. However, the pressure to meet high English proficiency standards may deter other migrant individuals from entering mainstream politics. - Listener expectations regarding migrant candidates’ language, combined with factors like cultural background and ethnicity, can lead to prejudice and micro-aggressions during initial encounters, affecting perceptions of trustworthiness. These negative experiences occur primarily in informal interactions with the public, not within institutional settings like city councils or political parties. - The response of candidates to instances of language-related discrimination highlights the significance of strategies such as building the resilience and self-confidence of candidates, promoting diversity awareness among constituencies and fostering inclusive spaces for civic engagement within communities. Participants consider language-related biases and other prejudices as potential obstacles to both the electoral success of migrant candidates and the active engagement of migrant individuals in politics. Overall, the report highlights that political bias often arises from perceptions of foreignness, and that these are triggered by language and culture-related factors such as non-Irish accents and other identity markers not typically associated with Ireland. In short, migrant candidates may face prejudice irrespective of their language skills. Therefore, the report strongly recommends that legal protections and integration initiatives, such as strategies and action plans by institutions, political parties and civic organisations, should incorporate a broader perspective on language, moving beyond an understanding of the notion of the language barrier in integration being solely related to a lack of English proficiency (see Section 11 for a complete list of recommendations and proposals). This perspective entails acknowledging derogatory comments and abusive behaviours tied to accents, English varieties, speech patterns, and other distinctive linguistic features as manifestations of racism and xenophobia