I am a linguistic anthropologist! I have more than a decade of experience examining the relationship between language, culture, and human development.
My research has taken me to Tibet, China, India, Nepal, New York City, and British Columbia. In each of these settings, I have explored how multilingual children are responding to pressures to give up their mother tongues in favour of more dominant languages. My research draws on the anthropological theories of language ideologies and language socialization to illuminate the active role that children play in sustaining language and culture in their communities. I examine a dynamic paradox linking language and migration: global migration is accelerating language shift, while bringing a denser diversity of languages to some families and communities.
To learn more, explore my site or browse my publications!
Shannon M. Ward, Ph.D. 