Translanguaging in Transnational Interview Settings: Power, Positionality, and Epistemic Injustice in Migration Research

The study, "Translanguaging in Transnational Interview Settings: Power, Positionality, and Epistemic Injustice in Migration Research," delves into the intricate dynamics of language use during empirical research with refugee families seeking reunification in France and Germany. The research, led by Manuela Barriga Morachimo and Emmanuel Ndahayo from the University of Siegen, highlights how language is not merely a tool for communication but a complex arena where power, colonial legacies, institutional hierarchies, and epistemic inequalities are constantly negotiated. The findings, published in Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung, underscore the critical need for researchers to adopt more inclusive, context-sensitive, and power-reflective methodologies in migration studies.

Background: The Evolving Landscape of Migration Research

Migration research has increasingly grappled with the complexities of conducting fieldwork in multilingual and multicultural contexts. As global mobility intensifies, researchers encounter individuals with diverse linguistic repertoires, challenging traditional approaches that often prioritize dominant languages and overlook the rich communicative practices of migrants. This study emerges against a backdrop of growing recognition within academia that conventional research methodologies may inadvertently perpetuate existing power imbalances, particularly those rooted in colonial histories and linguistic dominance.

The concept of "translanguaging," initially explored in educational settings, has gained traction in broader qualitative research. It refers to the dynamic and flexible use of an individual’s entire linguistic repertoire, drawing on multiple languages and modalities in interaction. This perspective moves beyond viewing languages as discrete, bounded systems and instead embraces their fluid and interconnected nature. The authors, Barriga Morachimo and Ndahayo, draw on their own empirical study focusing on refugee family reunification processes in France and Germany, two nations with distinct historical and contemporary approaches to migration and integration. This comparative setting provides a rich ground for examining how linguistic practices are shaped by varying legal frameworks, social attitudes, and institutional structures.

The Core of the Research: Language as a Site of Power

At the heart of this research is the argument that language functions as more than a neutral medium of communication; it is intrinsically linked to power structures. The study posits that languages carry with them "colonial legacies," referring to the historical imposition and enduring influence of certain languages (often European colonial languages) over others. This legacy contributes to the establishment of "language hierarchies," where dominant languages are often privileged in academic, institutional, and social spheres, potentially marginalizing speakers of less dominant languages. Furthermore, these hierarchies are intertwined with "epistemic inequalities," meaning that knowledge produced and validated in dominant languages may be seen as more legitimate or universal, while knowledge originating from other linguistic and cultural backgrounds might be devalued or overlooked.

The researchers emphasize the active role of participants as "co-producers of knowledge." This perspective challenges a traditional research paradigm where the researcher is the sole knowledge extractor. Instead, it acknowledges that participants, through their interactions and communication strategies, actively shape the research process and the knowledge generated. The study highlights how translanguaging, as a "contextual social practice," was observed and utilized during their fieldwork. This means that participants and researchers alike employed their full linguistic resources in a manner that was responsive to the specific social and situational demands of the interview setting.

Intersectionality: Unpacking Linguistic Asymmetries

A crucial element of the study is its adoption of an "intersectional perspective." Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality highlights how various social identities and power structures—such as race, gender, class, legal status, and nationality—overlap and interact, creating unique experiences of discrimination and privilege. In this research, intersectionality is applied to understand how linguistic practices are "entangled with power asymmetries."

The authors argue that these asymmetries are shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including:

• Languages: The specific languages spoken by participants and researchers, and the perceived status or prestige associated with them.
• Origins: National and cultural backgrounds, which can influence language proficiency and perceptions of linguistic competence.
• Legal Status: For refugees, their legal status (e.g., asylum seeker, recognized refugee) can impact their confidence, agency, and willingness to communicate freely.
• Positionalities: This encompasses the researchers’ own social and linguistic backgrounds, their academic standing, and their relationship to the research participants. It also includes the participants’ own positions within societal structures.

By employing an intersectional lens, the study aims to provide a more "nuanced account" of how communicative practices, "epistemic authority" (the perceived right to speak and be heard, and to define knowledge), and power imbalances are negotiated in multilingual encounters. This approach moves beyond a singular focus on language to acknowledge the multifaceted nature of social power.

Methodological Implications: Translanguaging as an Epistemic Resource

The research proposes treating translanguaging not as a barrier to research but as an "epistemic resource." This reframes the use of multiple languages and linguistic repertoires as a valuable asset that can enrich understanding, rather than a problem to be overcome through translation or the imposition of a single research language. The authors advocate for the development of "inclusive, context-sensitive, and power-reflective methodologies" within migration studies.

This call for methodological innovation is supported by a robust bibliography that draws on a wide range of scholarship. Key references include:

• Suresh Canagarajah: A prominent figure in translanguaging research, whose work emphasizes its role in "translingual practice" and its connection to global Englishes and cosmopolitan relations.
• Ofelia García and Wei Li: Their foundational work defines translanguaging as a pedagogical and linguistic phenomenon in bilingual education.
• Kimberlé Crenshaw: Her seminal work on intersectionality provides the theoretical framework for understanding overlapping systems of oppression.
• Patricia Hill Collins: Her concept of "Black feminist thought" emphasizes the importance of situated knowledge and the experiences of marginalized groups.
• Donna Haraway and Sandra Harding: Their contributions on "situated knowledges" and "feminist epistemology" underscore the idea that knowledge is always produced from specific social and positional standpoints.
• Research on qualitative interviewing in multilingual contexts: This includes works by Clara Holzinger, Anna-Katharina Draxl, Edith Enzenhofer, Katharina Resch, and Franz Erhard, who explore the practical, ethical, and epistemological challenges of conducting interviews across languages.
• Studies on language, power, and migration: Scholars like Annett Bochmann, Janine Dahinden, and Victoria van der Land examine the intricate relationship between linguistic practices, social hierarchies, and integration processes.

The authors’ own prior work, such as Ndahayo and Schittenhelm’s research on asylum regimes and family reunification policies, further contextualizes their current focus on the lived experiences of refugees.

The Authors: Expertise and Lived Experience

The research is spearheaded by two scholars from the University of Siegen, bringing together academic expertise and lived experience:

• Manuela Barriga Morachimo: A PhD candidate specializing in the experiences of refugee families and family reunification in Germany and France. Her research interests span transnational migration, displacement, gender, racism, coloniality, and qualitative methods. Her doctoral research is part of a larger project examining asylum regimes and transnational families.
• Emmanuel Ndahayo: A political refugee from Rwanda with a doctoral degree from the University of Siegen. His research interests include transnational migration, citizenship, empirical social research, racism, coloniality, and development policy. His background as a refugee offers a unique and invaluable perspective on the issues explored in the study.

Their combined expertise, rooted in both academic inquiry and personal experience, lends significant weight and authenticity to their findings.

Data Availability and Future Directions

The study notes that "Download data is not yet available." This indicates that while the research paper is published, the underlying empirical data used in the study has not yet been made public. This is a common practice in qualitative research, often due to privacy concerns and the sensitive nature of the data collected. However, the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for the publication is provided: https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-27.3.4825.

The implications of this research are far-reaching for the field of migration studies and qualitative research more broadly. By advocating for a translanguaging-informed, intersectional, and reflexive approach, Barriga Morachimo and Ndahayo challenge researchers to:

• Re-evaluate interview practices: Move beyond a reliance on interpreters or a single research language, and actively embrace the multilingual repertoires of participants.
• Acknowledge and address power dynamics: Be critically aware of their own positionality and how it intersects with participants’ identities and experiences.
• Value diverse knowledge systems: Recognize that knowledge is produced through various linguistic and cultural frameworks, and that these should be respected and integrated into research.
• Promote epistemic justice: Work towards a research landscape where the voices and knowledge of marginalized communities are not only heard but also validated and given due weight.

In conclusion, this study offers a vital contribution to methodological discussions in migration research. By framing translanguaging as a powerful analytical tool and an ethical imperative, it urges scholars to move towards more equitable and nuanced ways of understanding the complex realities of migration in a multilingual world. The research serves as a call to action for a more inclusive and reflective academic practice, one that truly centers the experiences and voices of those it seeks to understand.