| dc.description.abstract | In this article, we present a case study, undertaken in Uganda, in which
12 young people debated and critiqued four research articles on HIV/AIDS relevant
to Ugandan youth. The rationale for the study was to provide students with the
opportunity to respond to health research that had a direct bearing on their lives. It
also complements applied linguistics research that has been undertaken in resourcerich
countries with adult participants. In our study, we were particularly interested in
the extent to which languaging (Swain in Advanced language learning: the contributions
of Halliday and Vygotsky. Continuum, London, 2006) was productive for
African youth engagement in policy. We argue that this research has relevance for
language policy, in the sense that language policy references not only top-down
policies such as the medium of instruction in schools, but also language and
linguistic practices at grassroots level that have policy implications. Insights from
the students, which are supported by a broad range of literature, suggest that the
devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa have led many communities
to rethink traditional customs and social relationships, some of which have
exacerbated the spread of the disease. At a more systemic level, the students recognized
that gender inequities made both females and males more vulnerable to
HIV/AIDS, but in significantly different ways; that poverty undermines freedom of
choice; and that beliefs and practices perceived to be ‘‘western’’ should be negotiated
with care. These insights have important implications for policy with respect
to language, health, and education. | en_US |
