Arizona's Proposition 203: A Language Critical Race Theory Analysis of Affective Governance in Educational Policy

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  In Roundtable Session: Who Governs Education? Power, Law, and Institutional Change Across Systems

Abstract

This study employs Language Critical Race Theory to examine Arizona's Proposition 203, investigating how English-only mandates function through "affective governance" rather than direct enforcement. Through document analysis of 12 policy sources spanning 2000-2024, this research reveals five mechanisms sustaining racialized control: legal codification of temporal assimilation, affective governance through anticipatory compliance, racialized surveillance via assessment, epistemic erasure, and coordination with racial projects. Data demonstrates persistent failure: only 12% of English learners achieve proficiency annually, with 55% graduation rates—22 points below average. Recent judicial constraints demonstrate how policy operates through emotional regulation rather than legal coercion. This research contributes methodological innovation by operationalizing LangCrit and grounds alternatives in international law.

Author

• Betul Ozel, University of Arizona