LINGUISTIC IDENTITY, BOUNDARY WORK AND SOCIAL STATUS A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF QUEBEC ENGLISH-SPEAKING AND FRANCO-ONTARIAN POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS’ LINGUISTIC IDENTITY, BOUNDARY WORK AND SOCIAL STATUS JOHANNE JEAN-PIERRE, B.SC., B.A., M.A. A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy McMaster University © Copyright by Johanne Jean-Pierre, 2016 PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology MCMASTER UNIVERSITY DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY HAMILTON, ONTARIO (SOCIOLOGY) TITLE: A comparative study of Quebec English-Speaking and Franco-Ontarian postsecondary students’ linguistic identity, boundary work and social status AUTHOR: Johanne Jonathas Jean-Pierre B.Sc. (Université de Montréal), B.A. (University of Alberta), M.A. (Université d’Ottawa) SUPERVISOR: Professor Scott Davies NUMBER OF PAGES: 222 pages ii PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology LAY ABSTRACT: Francophones outside of Quebec and Quebec Anglophones are official language minorities with rights enshrined in the 1985 revised Official Languages Act. Their postsecondary experiences are less studied than their elementary and high school pathways. This dissertation summarizes the results of a study about the beliefs, attitudes and thoughts of Franco-Ontarian and Quebec English-speaking postsecondary students about their linguistic identity, culture, their education, and the role of bilingualism in their lives. In order to do so, interviews were completed in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto with CEGEP, college and university students or recent graduates between January and June 2014 with a total of 36 participants. The results indicate that historical linguistic conflicts and the contemporary political context influence the responses of each group. The interviews also reveal that Quebec English-speaking participants want to be fully accepted as Quebecers while Franco-Ontarian participants worry for the future of their communities. iii PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology ABSTRACT: Kymlicka (2007) identifies three diversity silos in Canada: Indigenous peoples, official bilingualism, and multiculturalism encompassing immigrants and ethnic groups. This dissertation falls within the official bilingualism silo and explores linguistic identity, boundary work and social status amongst Franco-Ontarian and Quebec English- speaking postsecondary students. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto between January and June 2014 with 36 participants in English and French. First, this dissertation investigates how Franco-Ontarian and Quebec English-speaking postsecondary students choose to self- identify, define, and enact their linguistic identity. Second, many questions aim to gauge potential symbolic linguistic boundaries, their porosity, and the role of bilingualism. Third, this dissertation delves into participants’ experiences of discrimination based on language or linguicism. Fourth, this inquiry examines if: a) the participants believe that bilingualism is highly esteemed and respected as a social status, b) if they believe that language is a commodity, c) and independently of their belief, if bilingualism results in a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Certain themes permeate all the chapters. Franco-Ontarian postsecondary students experience linguistic insecurity and express concerns for the future of French in their communities. While Quebec English-speaking postsecondary students do not voice fear for the future of the English language, they reveal a deep desire to be recognized as belonging in Quebec society. Some policy implications are discussed in the conclusion. iv PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to all of you for: Hinting that I should pursue a Ph.D., Dr. Victor Da Rosa, my M.A. supervisor Answering my questions about the program, Vicky Maldonado Noting my potential, the Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities Kindly designing the maps of appendices D and E, Mrs. Josée Guignard Noël. Your optimism and encouragement, Dr. Jeffrey Reitz Offering your support, Dr. Melanie Heath, Dr. Tina Fetner and Dr. Neil McLaughlin Urging me to work and persevere, Rochelle Wijesingha and Dr. Fernando Nunes. Making me dream and believe, Kaya Hamer-Small and Dr. Shiva Adel Exchanging your ideas on my committee, Dr. Jeffrey Denis and Dr. Victor Satzewich Responding with trust, respect and humour to my work, Dr. Scott Davies, my supervisor Championing and cherishing knowledge, culture and education, the Jean-Pierre family Imparting me opportunities with your conscious choices and vision, my parents. Always present in solidarity, my accomplice, my brother Kenny. This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of my late maternal grand-mother One who gave a lot, Anne Rose Marguerite Jean-Baptiste. Upon completion, I acknowledge and thank you all, Sailing into the wind with faith, hope and love. This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (2013-2014) and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (2011-2012, 2014- 2015). v PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology TABLE OF CONTENTS Lay abstract iii Abstract iv Acknowledgement v Table of contents vi List of figures and tables ix Chapter 1: Literature review and theoretical framework 1 Literature review 5 Canadian higher education 6 Outcomes of postsecondary education 7 The environmental climate of postsecondary institutions 10 Higher education and official language minorities 12 Definitions of official language minorities 17 Community vitality and education 28 Quebec English-speakers and vitality 32 Franco-Ontarians and vitality 38 Linguistic insecurity 42 Theoretical framework 45 Linguistic self-identification and civic engagement 45 Linguistic symbolic boundaries 47 Social status, cosmopolitanism and commodification 50 Chapter 2: Methodology 58 Recruitment 58 Participants 67 Interviewing as a process 71 Limitations 74 Conclusion 80 Chapter 3: Linguistic identity 82 Self-identification 84 From Anglophone to bilingual: a continuum 84 From Francophone to bilingual: a continuum 87 Civic engagement 92 Quebec English-speakers’ commitment to linguistic identity 92 Franco-Ontarians’ commitment to linguistic identity 96 Conclusion 102 Chapter 4: Linguistic symbolic boundaries 108 Boundary work and the permeability of symbolic boundaries 111 Quebec English-speakers, boundary work and permeability 112 Franco-Ontarians, boundary work and permeability 114 Cultural Frames 117 Quebec English-speakers’ cultural frames 117 Speaking the language 117 Culture or no culture 118 Politics of recognition 119 Franco-Ontarians’ cultural frames 121 vi PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology Politics of recognition 121 Francophonie or being Francophone as a global identity 123 Beyond speaking a language: territory, history and culture 123 Cultural repertoires 126 Quebec English-speakers’ cultural repertoire 126 Code switching 126 Ambivalent attitude 127 Franco-Ontarians’ cultural repertoire 128 Code-switching 128 Pride and attachment 128 Conclusion 129 Chapter 5: Discrimination based on language or linguicism 133 Quebec English-speakers and discrimination 137 Out-group related discrimination 138 Responses to stigma and discrimination 141 Avoiding discrimination: code-switching and fluency 141 Ambivalent attitude 144 Franco-Ontarians and discrimination 146 In-group related discrimination 148 Responses to stigma and discrimination 150 Affirmation and pride 151 Avoiding discrimination: code-switching and fluency 152 Conclusion 152 Chapter 6: Social status, cosmopolitanism, the commodification of language and 155 postsecondary education experiences Social status 158 Social status among Quebec English-speakers 158 Social status among Franco-Ontarians 162 Cosmopolitanism 164 Cosmopolitan Quebec English-speakers 164 Cosmopolitan Franco-Ontarians 167 The Nuanced commodification of language 169 Nuanced commodification and Quebec English-speakers 169 Nuanced commodification and Franco-Ontarians 170 Postsecondary education experiences 172 Postsecondary education experience of Quebec English-speakers 173 Postsecondary education experiences of Franco-Ontarians 174 Conclusion 178 Chapter 7: Conclusion 185 References 191 Appendix A: Interview questions 212 Appendix B: Thermometer 213 Appendix C: Colleges and universities serving official language minorities (table) 214 Appendix D: Colleges and universities available to official language minorities in 215 Canada (map) Appendix E: Colleges and universities available to official language minorities (Ontario 216 vii PhD Dissertation - Johanne Jean-Pierre, McMaster University, Department of Sociology and Quebec) Appendix F: Statistics Canada map- Percentage of population reporting French as first 217 official language spoken in 2011 by 2011 census division/Percentage of population reporting English as first official language spoken in 2011 by 2011 census division Appendix G: List of national, provincial and territorial francophone advocacy 218 associations for communities in a minority situation Appendix H: List of francophone associations promoting educational and cultural 219 development for communities in a minority situation Appendix I: McMaster research ethics