17 June 2020
Introduction
This webinar draws on the insights of contributors to the British Council’s edited volume on English across the fracture lines.
It focuses on possible themes and methods for researching (English) language use and (English) language education in times of restricted travel and insecurity due to political, environmental and/or health emergencies.
It explores various methodological alternatives and ethical guidelines for conducting research in such contexts.
It also highlights the potential of such research to mediate people’s hardship, to create hope in situations of deprivation and despair, and to promote moments of connection and kindness in a world in need of tolerance and empathy.
Speakers
Elizabeth J Erling currently holds a professorship in English language teaching research and methodology at the University of Graz, Austria. She has been involved in international language teaching and teacher education initiatives and research for over 20 years. She was editor of the British Council’s edited volume on English across the fracture lines.
Maria Grazia Imperiale obtained her PhD from the University of Glasgow, with a thesis entitled Developing Language Education in the Gaza Strip: Pedagogies of Capability and Resistance. She is a Teaching Fellow in Education at the University of Edinburgh (Moray School of Education). She has co-operated with the British Council in Ethiopia’s English for Resilience project and has worked on several research projects focusing on language education in difficult circumstances.