Language Learning, Power, Race and Identity

Liz Johanson Botha has taught languages since 1968 and held a faculty post at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa from 1998 to 2012. More recently, she has worked as a Research Associate to the Faculty of Education at Rhodes University, South Africa. Her interests include language learning, identity and teacher education.

• Acknowledgements PrefaceIntroduction Chapter 1: The Eastern Cape, Then and Now Chapter 2: Life History, Identity and Language Acquisition Chapter 3: Childhood: Intimacy and Separation Chapter 4: Rites of Passage: Paths Diverge Chapter 5: Adult Life and Work: Language and Power Chapter 6: Identity across Spaces: White Discourse and Hybrid Space Chapter 7: Conclusion Appendices

The stories in this book – stories of multilingualism, race, identity and power – are vividly retold, sensitively interpreted, and are framed by relevant theory. The outcome is an immensely readable and informative work, unique in that it tells readers about the experiences of elites learning an indigenous language in a rigidly divided socio-political context. These stories certainly hit home.