This project will investigate the bilingual education on the island of Corsica. French replaced the indigenous language, Corsican, in schools early in the century, but more recently ethnic Corsican nationalism has brought Corsican back to the educational system. This bilingualism has been problematic and the researcher will document patterns of classroom interaction and the "implicit models of language, culture and identity embedded in them." It will focus on the kinds of language competencies and attitudes children acquire in the bilingual school, as well as on the social consequences of minority language skills for the children and community. Overall, the project will analyze collective notions about the future of Corsican ethnic identity, and how these shape and are shaped by schooling. The research address broad theoretical and practical issues related to the schooling of ethnic and linguistic minorities.
