Empowering language minorities through technology: which way to go?

  The term ‘Information Age’ has been applied to the current era we now live in, based on the fact that technology and Internet are continuously changing the way people work, learn, spend their leisure time and interact with one another. At the same time, access to these means of interaction is not always equal, whether due to lack of experience, knowledge or economic resources. This article will first provide a brief overview about how the notion of social cohesion has been used historically, focusing especially on two central points that emerge: equality and education as a nexus for social cohesion. Next, the text looks at how education can undertake the challenge of eliminating inequality and promoting social cohesion, followed by an analysis of one potentially disadvantaged group: speakers of minority languages. Perceptions of minority language groups in the EU are discussed, and a general outline of potential educational disadvantages and social exclusion they may face is broached. Melinda Dooly, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Language & Literature Teaching Methods Department, Autonomous University of Barcelon