Steven Castro, PhD Student, Linguistics, University of Chicago
Language Use and Identity Constructions among mixed-race Indo-Fijians
This research project examines the role of language variation in the conceptualization and lived experiences of race and mixedness by accounting for the language practices and attitudes through which mixed-race individuals in Fiji understand their own position and are seen by the broader public. The research aims to answer the question: how is mixedness navigated in Fiji, focusing on linguistic sites such as: labels for mixed-race identity, naming conventions, switching practices (written and spoken), and metalinguistic attitudes, and drawing connections to the racial and colonial influences on mixedness.