THE IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION AND LOCALIZATION ON LANGUAGE POLICIES: THE EXAMPLE OF TAIWAN

The field of diversity, multilingualism, localization, nationalism, and globalization has received significant attention in recent years (MacSwan, 2017; Tierney & Kan, 2017). Languages are “the inventions of social, cultural and political movement” (Makoni & Pennycook, 2007, p.2). Language is generally used by political power to privilege some ways of talking and stigmatizing other language or language variety that differs from the one those in power use (MacSwan, 2017). However, some scholars have argued that all groups have the right to promote their language and culture free from discrimination (Hornberger, 2006; Risager, 2006; UN, 2007). This study intends to use Taiwan's experiences in planning and implementing multilingual and multicultural education to examine how language policy can interact with localization, globalization, and identity. Taiwan has begun implementing multilingual education, promoting internationalization through teaching English as a foreign language and localization through instructing local and indigenous languages in schools (Beaser, 2006; Sandel, 2003). By using document reviews, instructional material analyses, and literature reviews, this paper asks two questions regarding the historical language development and people's perceptions about language education. The findings challenge policymakers, principles, and teachers to reform language education that can value decolonization, equity, humanization, diversity and the perceptions of minoritized groups. Concepts such as globalization, nationalism, and localization are continuously debated, defined, redefined, and challenged during the process of education reform.