Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa
Following uncertainty surrounding the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits and changes to immigration policies and laws regulating the employment of foreigners in South Africa, Zimbabwe has been witnessing the return migration of families from South Africa. This phenomenon is also exacerbated by the increasin...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2394285 |
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| author | Busani Maseko Liqhwa Siziba |
| author_facet | Busani Maseko Liqhwa Siziba |
| author_sort | Busani Maseko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Following uncertainty surrounding the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits and changes to immigration policies and laws regulating the employment of foreigners in South Africa, Zimbabwe has been witnessing the return migration of families from South Africa. This phenomenon is also exacerbated by the increasing xenophobic sentiment infecting South African society. Some returnees are accompanied by children who were born in South Africa and speak South African languages. Coming from a country that does not support the teaching of immigrant language presents unique challenges for their schooling and assimilation into the Zimbabwean linguistic and cultural milieu. Families are thus faced with the task of ensuring their children’s linguistic re-socialisation to align with the language requirements of the new setting. Drawing on the concept of Family Language Policy, this qualitative study focused on the reflections of purposively selected Zimbabwean parents who have recently returned from South Africa to understand how their language ideologies contextually shape decisions around children’s language socialisation in South Africa and upon return to Zimbabwe. Findings show that their family language policies are largely aspirational, reflecting the families’ imagined future identities and changing life trajectories. Their dynamic family language policies are also a response to the sociopolitical and educational context of the hostland and homeland. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-de84ef23634d48bcaa3beec789961c12 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2331-1983 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
| spelling | doaj-art-de84ef23634d48bcaa3beec789961c122025-08-20T02:37:50ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832024-12-0111110.1080/23311983.2024.2394285Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South AfricaBusani Maseko0Liqhwa Siziba1School of Languages, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South AfricaSchool of Languages, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South AfricaFollowing uncertainty surrounding the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits and changes to immigration policies and laws regulating the employment of foreigners in South Africa, Zimbabwe has been witnessing the return migration of families from South Africa. This phenomenon is also exacerbated by the increasing xenophobic sentiment infecting South African society. Some returnees are accompanied by children who were born in South Africa and speak South African languages. Coming from a country that does not support the teaching of immigrant language presents unique challenges for their schooling and assimilation into the Zimbabwean linguistic and cultural milieu. Families are thus faced with the task of ensuring their children’s linguistic re-socialisation to align with the language requirements of the new setting. Drawing on the concept of Family Language Policy, this qualitative study focused on the reflections of purposively selected Zimbabwean parents who have recently returned from South Africa to understand how their language ideologies contextually shape decisions around children’s language socialisation in South Africa and upon return to Zimbabwe. Findings show that their family language policies are largely aspirational, reflecting the families’ imagined future identities and changing life trajectories. Their dynamic family language policies are also a response to the sociopolitical and educational context of the hostland and homeland.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2394285Return migrationfamily language policyheritage language socialisationparents’ language ideologieslanguage practicesZimbabwe |
| spellingShingle | Busani Maseko Liqhwa Siziba Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa Cogent Arts & Humanities Return migration family language policy heritage language socialisation parents’ language ideologies language practices Zimbabwe |
| title | Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa |
| title_full | Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa |
| title_short | Family language policy as shaped by return migration: Reflections of Zimbabwean returnees from South Africa |
| title_sort | family language policy as shaped by return migration reflections of zimbabwean returnees from south africa |
| topic | Return migration family language policy heritage language socialisation parents’ language ideologies language practices Zimbabwe |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2394285 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT busanimaseko familylanguagepolicyasshapedbyreturnmigrationreflectionsofzimbabweanreturneesfromsouthafrica AT liqhwasiziba familylanguagepolicyasshapedbyreturnmigrationreflectionsofzimbabweanreturneesfromsouthafrica |