Can the research on language planning be also planned?: Recent academia-government interactions in China

• Autores: Shanhua He, Tiaoyuan Mao
• Localización: Current issues in language planning, ISSN 1466-4208, Vol. 21, Nº. 4, 2020, págs. 434-453
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The current Language Policy and Planning (LPP) literature does not differentiate between LPP as practical planning and LPP as a research area. This lack of a conceptual distinction has led to difficulties in explaining the contradiction of the lethargic status of LPP-research and the vigorous reality of LPP-practice. This paper concentrates on LPP-research and proposes that this seemingly self-dependent activity is also subject to management. The past decade has witnessed an upsurge of government encouraged LPP-research in China. The case of China demonstrates how government management can affect research through the institutionalisation of academia, specifically by establishing research centres, providing funds, creating publishing platforms, and training young researchers. A series of papers initiated by the Chinese government prove that LPP-research management can influence not only research activities but also LPP-practice and language practice by converting the ideology of the LPP practitioners and the general public. However, the government can only best exert its influence when all three factors are present; namely, social needs, financial support, and cooperative academia. Our discussion of LPP-research management in China could also be applicable to other parts of the world, especially where academia (or part of it) works closely with the government.