Governing Language, Access, Knowledge: Comparative Language Policy in the United Nations, European Union, and African Union

• In Event: Language, Culture, and Citizenship: Global Education for Diverse Communities

Abstract

This paper examines how the United Nations, European Union, and African Union govern language to shape knowledge production, civic participation, and institutional access. Drawing on raciolinguistic theory, postcolonial critique, and comparative policy analysis, it interrogates how global commitments to multilingualism often mask epistemic hierarchies and symbolic inclusion. Each body reflects a distinct epistemological tradition—liberal internationalism, humanist-constructivism, and decolonial pluriversalism that influences its language governance. Through critical discourse analysis of policy texts and initiatives, the study reveals tensions between multilingual ideals and institutional practices. It calls for a shift from symbolic multilingualism to structural linguistic justice, reimagining global education policy through a LAK heuristic (Language, Access, Knowledge) that centers epistemic inclusion and equitable participation in international governance.

Author

• Honorine Ntoh Yuh, University of Alabama