Language Textbooks in the era of Neoliberalism Language, Society and Political Economy Series

This book examines how neoliberalism finds expression in foreign language textbooks. Moving beyond the usual focus on English, Pau Bori explores the impact of neoliberal ideology on Catalan textbooks. By comparing Catalan textbooks to English textbooks, this book interrogates the similarities and differences between a minor and a global language in the age of neoliberalism. Drawing on insights from critical theory and critical pedagogy, this study provides a fresh perspective on foreign language textbooks and second language education more broadly. Language Textbooks in the Era of Neoliberalism paves the way for new critical perspectives in language education that will challenge the current hegemony of neoliberalism.

Contents

Chapter 1, Introduction

Chapter 2, A Short History of Foreign Language Education in Europe

Chapter 3, Critical Research on Language Textbooks

Chapter 4, Analyzing Textbooks from a Political Economy Perspective

Chapter 5, The Catalan Context

Chapter 6, Social Class in Textbooks

Chapter 7, The World of Work: Constructing an Entrepreneurial Identity

Chapter 8, The World of Housing: Creating a Neoliberal Fairytale

Chapter 9, Conclusions

References

Index

Pau Bori is Lecturer in Catalan Studies at the University of Belgrade. He is interested in language education and language teaching materials, examining both from a political economy perspective. He has published papers in various journals and contributed chapters to books of collected articles.