Quebec's Shift from Ethnic to Civic National Identity : Implications for Language Attitudes Among Immigrants in Montreal

The author focuses on language attitudes and identity issues among adolescent first- and second-generation immigrants, compared to non-immigrants, in Montreal. Specifically, she examines whether Quebec's shift from an ethnic to a more civic conceptualization of national identity has led to individuals of all backgrounds sharing a social identity as Quebecers, thus considering French their common in-group language and holding positive attitudes towards it, particularly in terms of the solidarity dimension. The participant group examined by the author consisted of 161 adolescents (average age 18.3 years) attending two English-language CEGEPs and two French-language CEGEPs. Seventy percent of the participants were female; 26.7 were first generation immigrants, 36.6 were second generation immigrants, and 36.6 were "non-immigrants." Sixty-two percent of the "non-immigrants" were Francophones.

Language and Identity : Discourse in the World

London, England

Bloomsbury Academic

2015

55-80

en

978-1-4742-9494-2