Contact details: A.Kurowski@chi.ac.uk 
Affiliation: University of Chichester, Institute of Education and Social Sciences
ERLA key words; Social and cultural aspects of language, language as identity, language as power, emotional expression, language development, language of assessment
ERLA key problems: How do we compose our language(s)? How do we experience our language(s)? How do we develop our language(s)? How do we treat our language(s)?
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ERL gives me the opportunity to explore a wide range of aspects and issues around language with an international group of researchers/ academics. I am interested in cultural aspects of language and this differs across frontiers and continents. ERL offers the opportunity to associate and collaborate with academics with different educational systems, cultural practices, and pedagogical viewpoints. No experiences should be hidden, and ERL gives an opportunity for philosophies and practices to be showcased in a wider international context.
 ‘The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.’ (Wittgenstein)I am interested in language from the point of view of how language can contribute to differences in a society. Language can be an immediate indicator of the position of a person in society, their background, experiences, and aspirations. Language can also be used as a political tool for those to overpower and for those to be subordinate. Language can play an important part in education in terms of those who can access the dominant discourse and those who cannot. Language helps society shape the person and the person shape society; different people acquire and experience language according to their positionality in society, and the language adopted a person can help justify and reproduce social order.  
I would like to contribute to the understanding of the social and cultural role language plays in all of our lives. I would like to continue to explore ways that language is used as a social tool and how it affects the settlement of people into their social roles and positions. I would like to continue to play a part in ‘opening up’ ideas about language and culture and understanding of the role of language in society.
    I would like to collaborate with members in the field of understanding the role of language to provide and force identity on people. Language and associations with power relationships and cultural distinctiveness should not be ignored and this is a field I would like to develop.