Dissertation Title
Reciprocity and Language Work: Considering the Outsider Linguist
Chair: Andrea Berez-Kroeker
(Proposal Defended: September 2021)
Dissertation Abstract: Conceptualizing and articulating professional ethics in second language programs is not a standardized practice; yet, second language program administrators are expected to make meaningful decisions based on either personal beliefs or institutional policy on a regular basis. While the beliefs/policies that manifest in the school environment will have substantial impacts on the direction of education provided, it is not always clear how these ethical codes or sets of principles are formed, or if they are comprehensive and coherent. My dissertation research seeks to address this gap by studying second language program administrators specifically with a critical or social justice orientation. These administrators, all working on Oʻahu, have been asked to identify and explain their personal values to better understand how this orientation impacts their regular responsibilities, particularly when making decisions or developing policy. This matter is investigated through the analysis of the language used by these administrators to describe their practice, as well as observing their use of language in their professional spaces. Through the analysis of survey, interview, and observation data, the connection between what second language program administrators say their professional ethics are and how those ethics manifest through on-site conversations and actions will be explored.