The presence and absence of race in world language education literature

Abstract

World language (WL) education has the potential to shift perspectives toward equity. To accomplish this, the field must consider how it is situated within societal systems that perpetuate racial inequity. This systematic historical analysis of literature examined how the term race and related terms appeared historically in a set of primary journals in WL education. Drawing on literature from race and critical whiteness studies, the article presents a conceptual framework used to analyze articles that referenced race-related terms in the publication histories of 11 WL journals. Using textual content and thematic analysis, the articles illuminated ways in which systemic whiteness operates in WL education. Findings suggest that individual actions and coordinated efforts to shift policies and practice may help the field move toward greater racial equity.