Sub Group ‘Language and Democracy’

by Michael Seberich

During the meeting in March the working group began the final editing of the publication "The Power of Language - An activity guide for facilitators". The editing team rearranged the structure, added theoretical sections and wrote an in-depth introduction for the guide. The meeting allowed a summing up of the work that the International Network Education for Democracy, Human Rights and Tolerance had committed towards this project.

This first publication of the International Tolerance Networkdeals with language as the most important means of communication in education. This position of language is not very often questioned. But language does have dramatic effects on how educators work with a group. This became evident in the multilingual setting of the International Tolerance Network and underlined the experiences of the Network members. This is why the Network decided to develop, compile and test activities that can be used by facilitators to increase people’s awareness of the impact of language. The activities show how closely related language is to such fundamental questions as culture, identity and power structure. By tracing these links, facilitators can make the essential connection between language and human rights, tolerance and democracy.

The Network will present the guide to the public in August 2001 at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg as a contribution to the European Year of Languages. This publication in English will then be available via the Bertelsmann Foundation and the member organizations of the Network.

More info about our sub group "Language & Democracy"

Index: Podium

Language Learning, Tolerance and Human Rights
by K. Hugh Starkey

Sub Group "Tolerance Reports"
by Valerie Morgan

Sub Group "Language and Democracy"
by Michael Seberich

Sub Group "Evaluation"
by Katrin Uhl

Portrait
Participa: A Chilean NGO

Case Study: Citizenship and Education in 28 Countries
reviewed by Katrin Uhl

"Linguistic Genocide in Education"
reviewed by Constanze Schellhaas

Carl Bertelsmann Prize
by Sabine Donner