ABSTRACT

In this collection of articles, the authors bring attention to the interrelation of language, identity, and power in the teaching of “heritage languages” in Japan and the Japanese diaspora. Although the relevance of this collection to scholars who focus on Japanese language and culture is clear, by taking seriously the heterogeneity of speakers and of social and historical contexts in which individuals learn and use Japanese, the authors also contribute significant theoretical perspectives and ethnographic cases to cross-cultural scholarship on language. For specialists of other geographical regions these articles offer insights into the interrelationships of linguistic hierarchies and political economy, the navigation of ethnic and racial subjectivities, and the active roles of children and adolescents who may (or may not) claim belonging to various communities through their linguistic practices.