Routledge Sign Languages and Linguistic Citizenship - Yangon Deaf Community

This critical ethnographic study examines the vibrant Yangon deaf community in Myanmar, exploring how language policies operate across multiple scales-from informal practices in local deaf schools to government interventions aimed at unifying the country's two sign languages. The work provides essential insights into the dynamics of a linguistic and cultural minority in Southeast Asia whilst addressing broader questions about language policy, power, and community agency. By analysing how unofficial policies within the Yangon deaf community shape responses to higher-level policy initiatives, this Routledge volume demonstrates the complex interplay between grassroots linguistic practices and state-level language planning. The book contributes to critical discourse on linguistic citizenship and offers valuable perspectives for scholars, policymakers, and researchers interested in sign language studies, multilingualism, and ethnographic approaches to linguistic communities.