Languages and literacies are intertwined with power. They shape who is heard, who has access, and who is left behind. They offer people tools to participate in the worlds surrounding them but simultaneously shape the way these worlds can be understood and organised. In our multilingual and information-driven society - marked by the rapid rise of large language models and pressures on literacy, people need skills to analyse, question, and challenge representations and ideas conveyed by a diversity of languages and text types. Addressing these challenges will require interdisciplinary reflection on how languages, literatures, and literacies function, as well as meaningful partnerships between researchers and societal stakeholders. Empowering Language integrates research, education, and society to understand the powerful and empowering functions of languages, literatures, and literacies.

Research themes

Building Critical Literacy

Critical literacy is the ability to actively analyse, question and challenge texts and media. It enables people to uncover prejudice and power dynamics, and to promote inclusivity and equality. How can we support people in enhancing the critical reading skills they need to interpret political speeches, advertisements, or literary texts? And how can education empower people to navigate complex social and political issues through meaningful engagement with texts and languages? We aim to make reading and literacy more inclusive by integrating research with the experiences, perspectives, and practices of groups both within and beyond academia.

Equal Voices

Who has the possibility to speak and who doesn’t? The way we use language — in political speeches, novels, classrooms, or social media — can open doors for some voices while shutting others out. Genres, audiences, and languages all play a role in shaping who is heard and how. We want to understand how language and literature can suppress voices, and how they can also create space for previously ignored voices

Language and multilingualism

Research in language, multilingualism, and linguistic cognition helps us understand how language shapes how we think and learn. This includes how language carries emotion, builds identity, and influences how people express themselves. These insights support better education, and help individuals navigate a multilingual and media-rich world.