Description
Book SynopsisDavid Block is ICREA Research Professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Lleida, Spain. His main interests are the impact of political economic, sociological, anthropological and geographical phenomena on multimodal practices of all kinds, including social movements, multiculturalism, bi/multilingualism and the acquisition and use of languages.
Trade ReviewPolitical Economy and Sociolinguistics: Neoliberalism, Inequality and Social Class is written in Block’s readable style and is suitable for graduate student level research and above. Through the initial three theoretical chapters which dissect the principle concepts of the book, Block succeeds in providing a strong foundation for the analyses that follow. The accessible case studies and succinct discussions will be of use to educators wishing to demonstrate to students of all levels the prevalence and depth of the discursive construction of neoliberalism, inequality, and ‘classtalk’ in ‘western’ societies. It will also be of interest to linguists hoping to integrate political economy in their research, particularly those seeking a history and a firm theoretical foundation in the area. This book is particularly necessary at this juncture in time, when market rule appears absolute, and with the rise of far-right parties and groups across Europe and North America ... The book calls for increased collaboration between linguists interested in political economy and economists of language, bridging the ontological and epistemological differences in each field. * LINGUIST List *
This represents an important project which could both fill a gap and chime with the growing interest in political economy in language disciplines. Given that the author is a leading writer in the field, the book will undoubtedly sell well and may possibly become something of a landmark piece in the ‘political economy’ turn in sociolinguistics. -- Marnie Holborow, Associate Faculty, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies (SALIS), Dublin City University, Ireland
Table of ContentsPreface 1. A short history of political economy in sociolinguistics 2. Political economy: Background and approach 3. Neoliberalism: Historical and conceptual considerations 4. Stratification, inequality and social class 5. The neoliberal citizen: conceptualisations and contexts 6. Inequality, class and class warfare: Discourse, ideology and ‘truth’ Epilogue References Index
