Neoliberalism : Language and Ideology

Muth, Sebastian (2026) Neoliberalism : Language and Ideology. In: The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics : Language Ideology, Culture, and Context. Wiley. ISBN 9781405194730

Abstract

This entry illustrates how neoliberalism, as an ideology and model for social- and economic development, has fundamentally changed the ways we understand language and culture. I begin with a historical outline of neoliberalism as an economic doctrine that foregrounds free markets as cornerstones of economic growth, development, and innovation before discussing work in applied linguistics and the social sciences that describes the consequences of an increasing normalization of neoliberal thought. Based on language teaching and learning, this chapter will then highlight key sites where neoliberal subjectivities are reproduced and that are indicative of wider neoliberal transformations that affect institutions, social relations, and individuals alike.