ABSTRACT
The implementation of sociocultural competence through theoretical antecedents that strive toward transformation is critical to centering the lived experiences of minoritized communities within dual language and bilingual education (DLBE). As evident in the growing commodification and gentrification of DLBE, these programs, and schools as a whole, are a microcosm of society and, thus, can work to reproduce whiteness and the status quo. This creates an urgency for placing heritage frameworks grounded in equity at the forefront of sociocultural competence and DLBE programming. However, sociocultural competence is undermined and overshadowed in DLBE which further exacerbates inequities for minoritized communities. Through a culturally sustaining lens, this chapter problematizes culture, a key aspect of sociocultural competence, in relation to challenging asymmetrical power relations. Additionally, a literature review that conceptualizes and operationalizes sociocultural competence in DLBE, including proposed critical ideologies and practices, is included. This chapter concludes with a call to action for the sustainable implementation of sociocultural competence for transformation in DLBE.
