Globalization and Language in the Spanish Speaking World

Resumen del libro

This volume considers, at global and at local levels, the spread of Spanish today and particularly its role in the face of processes of globalization. Spanish is frequently the dominant language in this contact situation. But how contested is its hegemony; and how far does contact with it threaten other languages? How are these other, weaker, minoritized languages prospering in a world where a few strong, global languages may be taking over their linguistic domains?
Generally the view to emerge is that Spanish is a dominant, hegemonic language whose speakers are increasing steadily and whose value, symbolic and actual, is being exploited and promoted by certain agents of language spread. However, there is also the question of how homogenous this profile of Spanish is, given the porosity of the boundaries which surround it , and indeed, how contested is its hegemony ? What is the precise nature of its influence and dominance?

Biografía del autor

Nancy Konvalinka es antropóloga, profesora e investigadora de la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)