Using a thorough ethnographic approach, Britta Schneider’s Salsa, language and transnationalism gives a deep insight into the language ideologies of three separate salsa dance communities of practice - one in Frankfurt, Germany, and two in Sydney, Australia. Besides adopting post-structuralist conceptual framework from prestigious scholars in the field of language and identity studies such as Blommaert, Pennycook, Bourdieu, as well as many others, Schneider also applies the method of rich discourse analyses in the context of salsa enclaves to analyze the (de)construction of transnational identities, cosmopolitanism, and language ideologies. In doing so, the author tries to subvert the monolingual/monoculture ideology and shows the complex
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The first chapter serves as an introduction to some theoretical concepts such as “zombie categogy” and transnationalism, and explains why salsa is chosen as the study subject. Schneider also presents the methodological approach for the study, in which she analyzes the empirical data obtained from interviews with participants. In addition, the author uncovers the three main research questions that guides the overall study (p.12):
(1) Which language ideologies are found in salsa communities?
(2) Next to national language discourses, which other societal or cultural discourses co-constitute language ideologies in salsa communities?
(3) What happens to the notion of language in language discourse in a transnational context?
Building on the first chapter’s introduction, the second chapter continues to delve deeper into theoretical concepts surrounding the research questions by providing a detailed overview of social discourse theory, globalization, cosmopolitanism, language ideologies, and superdiverity, thereby showing how they relate to the author’s methodological …show more content…
In chapter five, Schneider illustrates the capitalist and English monolingualism discourse, characterized by the globalized commercialization of LA-style salsa, along with the notable absence of Spanish language and disengagement from any elements that tie with Latinness. She then explains how this “new cosmopolitanism” reflects Australian national identity and language ideology. On the contrary, the Cuban-style salsa community as depicted in the next chapter values the use Spanish as well as Latin cultural identity. Via the ethnographic findings, Schneider highlights that this Cuban-style community strongly disapproves of global commercialization of the dance while favoring more authentic, less-systematized moves than those of the LA-style. These two chapters shed light on how different salsa group members’ distinguished socio-economic-cultural positioning is impacted by varied societal
The first chapter serves as an introduction to some theoretical concepts such as “zombie categogy” and transnationalism, and explains why salsa is chosen as the study subject. Schneider also presents the methodological approach for the study, in which she analyzes the empirical data obtained from interviews with participants. In addition, the author uncovers the three main research questions that guides the overall study (p.12):
(1) Which language ideologies are found in salsa communities?
(2) Next to national language discourses, which other societal or cultural discourses co-constitute language ideologies in salsa communities?
(3) What happens to the notion of language in language discourse in a transnational context?
Building on the first chapter’s introduction, the second chapter continues to delve deeper into theoretical concepts surrounding the research questions by providing a detailed overview of social discourse theory, globalization, cosmopolitanism, language ideologies, and superdiverity, thereby showing how they relate to the author’s methodological …show more content…
In chapter five, Schneider illustrates the capitalist and English monolingualism discourse, characterized by the globalized commercialization of LA-style salsa, along with the notable absence of Spanish language and disengagement from any elements that tie with Latinness. She then explains how this “new cosmopolitanism” reflects Australian national identity and language ideology. On the contrary, the Cuban-style salsa community as depicted in the next chapter values the use Spanish as well as Latin cultural identity. Via the ethnographic findings, Schneider highlights that this Cuban-style community strongly disapproves of global commercialization of the dance while favoring more authentic, less-systematized moves than those of the LA-style. These two chapters shed light on how different salsa group members’ distinguished socio-economic-cultural positioning is impacted by varied societal