This new UBEL pathway includes researchers from three institutions, including one pocket of excellence at Greenwich. Research on multilingualism encompasses the study of acquisition and development of languages; the relations between sociological background, language ability and education and the social and well-being consequences of not addressing the needs potentially associated with it. SOAS in particular, offers unique expertise in the range of languages studied including lesser-studied and endangered languages and its work on historical linguistics and language policy and planning is not found elsewhere in London. This is combined with a deep commitment to development and migration studies, characterised by a decolonial outlook on education and building of equitably partnerships with global communities to strive for a more equal and just world and to find solutions to today’s global challenges. 

Multilingual practices is a highly interdisciplinary field, with interactions across multiple UBEL groups and over half of all pathways. Supervisors have expertise in a range of established and new qualitative and advanced quantitative methods, including ethnography; thematic analysis; discourse analysis (narrative; conversation analysis; critical discourse analysis) using eg NVivo, and advanced quantitative skills using SPSS and r applied to large sets of survey data. They deliver training and produce digital materials on participatory action research for ESRC students from other DTPs through the National Centre for Research Methods. The pathway offers a number of Research Centres including Research and Enterprise in Language; Translation studies; African Studies; South East Asian Studies; Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies; and the China Institute, demonstrating the global reach and partnerships offered by this pathway.