Language, Democracy and Devolution in Catalonia (Current Issues in Language and Society Monographs)

The issue of human rights becomes very complex when applied to language. "Individual" rights have little meaning in this domain. People do not ask for the right to speak to themselves; they ask for the right to use their language within their group. Where populations are heterogenous such rights are difficult to ensure. Language can be a powerful means of inclusion and exclusion, and this is particularly true in democratic societies where debate is central to the process. This book looks at these fundamental questions in the context of Catalonia.