The improvised language of solidarity: Linguistic practices in the participatory labour-organizing processes of multi-ethnic migrant workers

There are considerable language barriers facing the potential collective labour organization of multi-ethnic migrant workers. From the research literature, we know little about linguistic practices that might overcome these barriers. Based on an ethnographic study of the participatory organizing of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human relations (New York) 2023-12, Vol.76 (12), p.1855-1880
Main Authors: Cioce, Gabriella, Korczynski, Marek, Però, Davide
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Barriers
Ethnography
Labor
Migrant workers
Translation
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Summary:There are considerable language barriers facing the potential collective labour organization of multi-ethnic migrant workers. From the research literature, we know little about linguistic practices that might overcome these barriers. Based on an ethnographic study of the participatory organizing of S.I. Cobas multi-ethnic migrant workers in the Italian logistics sector, we point to three linguistic practices that help overcome language barriers – translation, lingua franca and humour. We theorize these three linguistic practices as constituting an ‘improvised language of solidarity’. We argue that an improvised language of solidarity develops from, and can significantly support, participatory organizing.
ISSN:0018-7267
1741-282X
DOI:10.1177/00187267221119775