“Mommy, can we speak English? Because it’s embarrassing to speak Farsi”: exploring identity construction in plurilingual Iranian-Canadian children

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dc.contributor.authorZirak Ghazani, Ahmad
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeSenehi, Jessica (Peace and Conflict Studies)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeUkasoanya, Grace (Educational Administration, Foundations & Psychology)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeDu, Xiaoxiao (Curriculum, Teaching and Learning)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeByrd Clark, Julie (Critical Policy, Equity and Leadership Studies; Western University)
dc.contributor.supervisorJanzen, Melanie
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-01T19:48:28Z
dc.date.available2024-08-01T19:48:28Z
dc.date.issued2024-07-08
dc.date.submitted2024-07-04T01:21:38Zen_US
dc.date.submitted2024-07-08T23:45:49Zen_US
dc.date.submitted2024-08-01T19:05:55Zen_US
dc.degree.disciplineEducation
dc.degree.levelDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
dc.description.abstractIn this study, I examine the plurilingual identity constructions and expressions of generation 1.5 Iranian-Canadian minors living in Canada, focusing on their perceptions across diverse sociocultural and educational spaces. Using a qualitative multiple-case study approach and drawing on positioning theory, I investigate the impact of social position on language learning and the dynamic interplay among heritage language maintenance, access to resources, and cultural capital. I employ a multi-method qualitative approach, including interviews with parents and children, children’s visual representations, and value-laden artifacts, to explore three main ideas: parents’ access to resources and capital, the role of heritage language and identity, and the role of children’s families and communities in supporting them in their language development. Findings reveal a close link between access to resources and plurilingual education, the existence of mono-lingual mindsets in some Canadian schools, and discriminatory practices that hinder children’s plurilingual identity construction. Children demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity, drawing upon their cultural capital and adapting to diverse social situations. Family language practices and emotional connections to relatives and the country of origin play crucial roles in supporting the development and maintenance of children’s heritage language and identity. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex processes involved in constructing and expressing plurilingual identities while highlighting the need for a better understanding of social contexts and the implementation of appropriate language and socialization strategies to address the challenges.
dc.description.noteOctober 2024
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/38353
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectPlurilingualism
dc.subjectIdentity
dc.subjectPositioning Theory
dc.subjectMultimodal
dc.subjectHeritage Language
dc.subjectIranian-Canadian
dc.subjectTranslanguaging
dc.subjectPlurilingual Children
dc.title“Mommy, can we speak English? Because it’s embarrassing to speak Farsi”: exploring identity construction in plurilingual Iranian-Canadian children
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
local.subject.manitobano
oaire.awardNumberIT29917
oaire.awardTitleMitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur
project.funder.nameMitacs
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