We are researchers working across the world in the field of Minority Language Media.
The International Association for Minority Language Media Research (IAMLMR) was created in Edinburgh in October 2019 during the Minority Language Media conference co-organised by the Etxepare Basque Institute and the University of Edinburgh.
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Since the early days of minority language media research (see for a more detailed account), there has been a strong Eurocentric or Western focus in both conceptual and contextual studies. As well as the overall Westernization factors that affect all academic disciplines that we recognise we identify three other specific reasons for this:
- the number of researchers that based at European universities and other research institutes in Europe, their contribution to the development of the field and their networked approach to the subject areas, often supported by European Union funding (such as the Mercator Network);
- the nature of the undertaken in minority language media research, which has had a strong focus on applied research (as opposed to highly theoretical approaches) including engaged research, which is often rooted in the linguistic communities that are being researched and closely connected to players within them, as well as wanting to make a positive contribution to their development.
- although the field has grown in Europe, it is still a marginalised discipline and cannot command high levels of funding that are required for more intense international exchange including global travel to attend conferences, exchange projects, comparative fieldwork etc.
This however is not to discountenance efforts being made in Africa, (South) America and Asia. Extended research essays, dissertations and theses have been written on the subject. In Africa, the first co-ordinated effort was It took another ten years before the second edited volume, Indigenous Language Media, Language Politics and Democracy in Africa edited by Abiodun Salawu and Monica Chibita was published. The latest is
The researchers present at the Edinburgh Etxepare conference took the collective decision to set up the International Association for Minority Language Media Research (IAMLMR) as positive action to connect researchers of minority language media in all parts of the world because:
- researchers in several parts of the world have been producing important studies and critical reflections that should be circulated beyond their countries, states and world regions;
- the focus in the field of Minority Language Media Research on applied and engaged research can be enriched through increasing the connectedness of our researchers and, in turn, our communities;
- factors such as migration, diaspora communities and global mobility require us to take resolute action to deepen our collaboration with each other, in order to understand our own contexts in more meaningful ways;
- global challenges such as climate change, access to education, unequal distribution of economic resources, low levels of literacy, inequalities and other adverse conditions are threatening our current linguistic diversity. Access to media and access to research of the media are important aspects of analysing and finding solutions to these challenges.
- the sharing and transfer of best practice, research and studies (conceptual and contextual) should happen within relationships of mutual respect and curiosity between researchers in all parts of the world.
The International Association for Minority Language Media Researchs definition of media includes all media, including social media, non-professional (volunteer or user-generated) media, factual and journalism, audiovisual fiction, digitisation etc, across all platforms and in all parts of the world.
The International Association for Minority Language Media Researchs definition of language includes all language communities who self-define as minority, minoritized or non-hegemonic, including those who self-define as indigenous. It is not confined to written or to spoken languages, and oral/non-written languages, as well as signed/non-spoken languages are included.
Background and Rationale:
As we develop our membership, structure and activities we welcome communication, ideas and contributions from researchers in all parts of the world.
Contact: Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, Dr Miren Man穩as-Mu簽oz or Craig Willis.
The next biennial of the International Association for Minority Language Media Research (IAMLMR) will be hosted by the Indigenous Language Media in Africa () research entity at the North-West University, Mafikeng, South Africa on 8 11, July 2024.
IAMLMR members presented papers and panels at the XIX International Conference on Minority Language in Wales in June 2023. A face-to-face meeting of the working group was also held during the conference.
The was held from March 31st to April 1st 2022.
Our first IAMLMR PhD forum was held on 27th January 2022 at 12pm CET (11am GMT) on Zoom. Three presenters were:
- Libe Mimenza Castillo (University of the Basque Country) Basque media outlets and their digital audience measurement,
- Nureni Aremu Bakenne (North-West University, Mafikeng Campus) Examining the impact of BBC News Yoruba on the Revitalisation of the Yoruba Language of South-West Nigeria.
- Catrin Llwyd (窪蹋勛圖厙) Digital media as a factor in the linguistic practices of Welsh-speaking 16-25 year olds.
Wednesday 3rd November at 15h CET ECMI Online Talk / Minority languages and media landscapes in Africa, Europe and Latin America: Between global and regional dynamics, hosted by Sergiusz Bober and panellists Abiodun Salawu, Claudia Soria and Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed.
Wednesday 22nd September 2021 at 16h CEST - an IAMLMR meeting was held to welcome new members and discuss the programme of activities for the academic year 2021-2022.
Friday 27th August 2021 - IAMLMR and ECMI co-organized a module on the digitalization and minority / indigenous language media during the 11th Annual ECMI Summer School on National Minorities in Border Regions National Minorities and the New Digital Paradigm.
The module consisted of an online lecture Media Landscapes and Minority Languages: How Media Can Make or Break Linguistic Vitality by Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, a lecture/workshop The Debate around the Indigenous for Indigenous Language Media and the Limits of a Cybertarian Utopia by Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed and a showcase by Hauke Heyen on his work on social media use in North Frisian.
Wednesday 24th May 2021 - 10am EST Book launch and discussion on the aims and challenges of curating landmark publications in the field of MLM to mark the publication of (edited by Dafydd Sills-Jones and Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones) as part of Peter Lang’s series .
Wednesday 24th Friday 26th March 2021 we will be presenting at the which will be held online.
Wednesday 24th February 2021 (16:00-18:00 CET) Workshop on indigenous MLM and indigeneity. Via Zoom.
Thursday 28th January 2021 (16:00-18:00 CET) Workshop on the via Zoom.
We meet regularly as a working group to develop the association and to plan events and activities.
- Abiodun Justin Adelodun University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (PhD student)
- Prof. Josu Amezaga University of the Basque Country
- Dr Edorta Arana University of the Basque Country
- Dr Bakenne Nureni Aremu Ghent University, Belgium
- Nici Beech 窪蹋勛圖厙 (PhD candidate)
- Dr Sergiusz Bober European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI)
- Israel Fadipe Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Nigeria
- Hauke Heyen Europa Universit瓣t Flensburg
- Prof. Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones University of Wales Trinity Saint David
- Catrin Llwyd 窪蹋勛圖厙 (PhD candidate)
- Dr Libe Mimenza University of the Basque Country
- Dr Miren Manias-Mu簽oz University of the Basque Country
- Dr Tshepang B. Molale University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
- Olanrewaju John Ogundeyi Indigenous Language Media in Africa (ILMA), North-West University, South Africa (PhD student)
- Facundo Reyna-Muniain Instituto da Lingua Galega
- Marc R繹ggla MIDAS / Eurac Research, Bolzano
- Prof. Abiodun Salawu North-West University, South Africa
- Frederike Schram University of Turku
- Dr Dafydd Sills-Jones Auckland University of Technology
- Dr Jenny Stenberg-Sir矇n University of Helsinki
- Dr Enrique Uribe Jongbloed Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogot獺 & Cardiff University
- Jakob Volgger MIDAS / Eurac Research, Bozen/Bolzano
- Craig Willis European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) / Europa Universit瓣t Flensburg (PhD Candidate)
Contact: Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones or Craig Willis if you would like further details on how to join.