Bilingualism as activism: collective efforts in building the first Korean dual language programs in the U.S

Abstract

This qualitative study, led by two Korean transnational scholars, explores the development of the first Korean Dual Language Programs (KDLPs) in the United States, emphasizing how communities leveraged bilingualism as a powerful tool for activism through collective efforts. Grounded in the notions of historicizing communities and ourselves, as well as community cultural wealth, the study captures the narratives and experiences of twelve educators, community leaders, and activists through individual interviews and focus groups conducted in Korean, English, and translanguaging. The findings underscore the multilayered factors that shaped the establishment of KDLPs, including social and historical contexts (i.e. the Lau v. Nichols legacy and the influx of Korean migrant students), community dynamics (i.e. vibrant transnational funds of knowledge within the Korean diaspora and the collective efforts of various stakeholders), and individual contributions marked by strong activism, visionary leadership, and pioneering spirit among educators. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Lau v. Nichols decision and the 30th anniversary of KDLPs, this study offers a rich historical narrative and valuable insights for Asian language communities and transnational immigrant communities of color speaking less-commonly-taught languages. It underscores the enduring influence of bilingual education as a form of community-based activism and its role in promoting educational and linguistic equity for all students.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 4 citations exist upstream.

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.