Language, Power, and Education in Haiti: Analyzing a Complex Crossroads

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: Fostering Research in Multiple Communities

Abstract

In light of the language politics that have shaped broader Haitian society, this paper examines contemporary educational issues in Haiti, suggesting that examining the role of language in the educational system reveals interesting nuances about how power is negotiated and contested in Haitian society. Informed by a critical postcolonial lens, I consider the roles of Kreyòl, French, and English in shaping the educational landscape in Haiti; the ways these languages are perceived and understood with respect to access to power; and the tensions, questions, and anxieties that are revealed by putting language at center stage. I also highlight how competing value systems and beliefs about the role of Kreyòl in Haitian education reflect political struggles over color, class, and identity.

Author

• Fabienne Doucet, New York University