New Book by Ralf Thiede

Kudos to Professor Ralf Thiede, whose book Language Mind and Power: Why We Need Linguistic Equality, co-authored with Dr. Daniel R. Boisvert (Philosphy) has just been published by Routledge. Power and vulnerability, their book argues, are associated with access to language, just as to food and water. Thiede, a linguist, and Boisvert, a philosopher, not only explain why language is so powerful, but illuminate its very real social and political implications. The book makes the case for linguistic equality—equality among languages and equality in access to/knowledge of language and its use—as a human right and tool to prevent violence and oppression. This accessible, interdisciplinary text is invaluable for courses that explore how language reflects power structures in linguistics, philosophy/ethics, and cognitive science/psychology.