ABSTRACT
It is typical of many post-colonial education systems to have a former colonial language entrenched as the language of instruction and its hegemonic positioning unmarked and normative, informed by a monoglossic language ideology. Our concern in this chapter is with understanding and disrupting unequal relations of power between English and Indigenous languages spoken by the majority of African speakers yet often excluded in South African higher education. Yet, the question of language in higher education cannot be isolated from schooling, wherein proficiency in English is valued, enabling for those aspiring to access university education; and multilingualism in African languages is seen as a problem for further education and participation in society. We propose decolonial thought with a particular focus on language ideologies as a lens for understanding these dominant narratives about language. Then, to explore linguistic activism towards disrupting such narratives, we draw on three published case studies in former ‘white’ universities characterized by the hegemony of English post-apartheid. These cases offer examples of pedagogies that create opportunities for students to critique dominant thinking and also use their linguistic repertoires for epistemic access, identity affirmation and co-construction of knowledge. Thus, we argue that a shift from monoglossic to heteroglossic language ideologies and a view of multilingualism as the norm lay the foundation for inclusivity, social justice and decolonial education.
