ABSTRACT
When visiting Mexico, one thinks of its beautiful beaches, breathtaking landscapes, and colorful celebrations where performers wearing typical indigenous outfits dance to the rhythm of pre-Hispanic music. This chapter seeks to show how the multiculturalism and multilingualism that gave birth to this nation have been forced into an institutional monolingualism and monoculturalism through language policies that have created inequalities in interactions between mainstream society and indigenous groups. It provides an account of language policies, their effect on education programs, and the bilingualism that has taken place in the country. The chapter displays a snapshot of sociolinguistic studies that have been done on the most spoken indigenous languages. It elaborates on whether or not Mexico can overcome its monolingualism and monoculturalism to become a bilingual and intercultural society, in which the main culture does not discriminate against indigenous groups, but understands and respects them as a part of society.
