Neoliberalism in Catalan language textbooks for adult non-Catalan speakers

Abstract

This paper critically examines Catalan language textbooks for adult non-Catalan speakers from the last four decades with the focus on political economy and neoliberalism. Specifically, we analyze the work-related content in textbooks from two different moments in the history of the teaching of Catalan as a second language: the 1980s and the present day. Findings indicate a great shift in representations of the working world. In the 1980s, textbooks featured a working-class perspective that emphasized collective labor problems. Work was seen as burdensome and dissatisfying, rooted in antagonistic relations due to exploitation. By contrast, present-day language textbooks prioritize an individualistic view of work, unrelated to any collective labor conflict or structural inequality. Neoliberal practices such as entrepreneurship, flexibility and self-responsibility appear in a positive way without mentioning their negative aspects or limitations. All in all, textbooks situate students within a new highly idealized labor order, full of opportunities for their personal and professional satisfaction. The findings in this paper may contribute to making language teachers aware of the neoliberal content of many current language teaching materials. Additionally, this paper highlights the need to introduce aspects of political economy and references to neoliberalism in critical research on applied linguistics and sociolinguistics.

Keywords: language teaching textbooks, Catalan as a second language, neoliberalism, political economy, employment and labor relations, economic crisis.