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Saran Kaur Gill is Professor of Sociolinguistics in Multi-Ethnic Nations, at the School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. She researches and publishes in the area of language policy and planning with a focus on managing ethnic, national and global identities. She is also Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnerships).
Critical Considerations Of Ethnic And National Identities In The Multicultural Global World Transmigration has been a feature of many nations in the past century and is increasingly attaining prominence in the 21st century. This has resulted in many nations having an even greater intensity in the multi-ethnic landscape of their citizenry. Of the many issues raised by the complexity of multi-ethnic populations, one of the most critical considerations is that of the dynamics between ethnic and national identities in multicultural global contexts. In nations made up of dominant ethnic and minority ethnic populations, there will be two main challenges discussed at the national level. The first is the development amongst its multi-ethnic population of a common belonging to the concept of national identity. In the Malaysian context, how do the national identity considerations emanating from the national cultural policy, Vision 2020 and the promotion of 1Malaysia relate to each other? The second is the challenge of the sustenance and maintenance of national linguistic identity in the face of globalization. In turn, along parallel lines, at minority ethnic community levels, it will be the challenge of the maintenance and sustenance of ethnic linguistic identities that will be examined. This raises a critical consideration of whether in the interests of national unity, minority communities should not just focus on the institution of a national identity? All of these issues will be examined based on based on macro-sociolinguistic contextual factors, which constitute the historical, political and national concerns, economic considerations, the knowledge economy based on science and technology ideology/policy and socio-cultural values comprising religion, language and culture.

Critical Considerations Of Ethnic And National Identities In The Multicultural Global World

Transmigration has been a feature of many nations in the past century and is increasingly attaining prominence in the 21st century. This has resulted in many nations having an even greater intensity in the multi-ethnic landscape of their citizenry. Of the many issues raised by the complexity of multi-ethnic populations, one of the most critical considerations is that of the dynamics between ethnic and national identities in multicultural global contexts. In nations made up of dominant ethnic and minority ethnic populations, there will be two main challenges discussed at the national level. The first is the development amongst its multi-ethnic population of a common belonging to the concept of national identity. In the Malaysian context, how do the national identity considerations emanating from the national cultural policy, Vision 2020 and the promotion of 1Malaysia relate to each other? The second is the challenge of the sustenance and maintenance of national linguistic identity in the face of globalization. In turn, along parallel lines, at minority ethnic community levels, it will be the challenge of the maintenance and sustenance of ethnic linguistic identities that will be examined. This raises a critical consideration of whether in the interests of national unity, minority communities should not just focus on the institution of a national identity? All of these issues will be examined based on based on macro-sociolinguistic contextual factors, which constitute the historical, political and national concerns, economic considerations, the knowledge economy based on science and technology ideology/policy and socio-cultural values comprising religion, language and culture.