English and Empowerment in the Developing World

Product Description This book is a collection of thought-provoking papers that investigate empowerment within the contexts of language, education, and technology. In the seventeen papers published in the book, local and international practitioners and researchers have analysed their experiences within a range of socio-linguistic situations. Adding significant insights and depth to a previously under-researched area, the publication will be of interest not only to ELT teachers and students, but also to social science researchers working in the area of South Asian studies. The book based on selected papers presented at the 2007 Aga Khan University Centre of English Language Seminar in Karachi offers insights into the issues of empowerment as it interacts with language education, gender, and information technology. These papers represent the depth of scholarship and the sophistication of insight that the Karachi seminar was able to generate. The book presents issues of international importance through a Pakistani context and creates awareness amongst ELT scholars and students, both in the region and beyond of some of the most pressing language education issues affecting South Asia today. The papers deal with complex cultural issues and force readers to undertake new cultural journey to see issues from a different perspective. The collection will become an essential resource book for all English language teachers, researchers, and scholars interested in learning more about the success stories and problems facing language education in developing countries, especially Pakistan today. About the Author Dr Nasreen Hussain is an Associate Professor at the Aga Khan University, Centre of English Language. She lectures on language teacher development, professional practice of teachers, and classroom-based research. Dr Hussain has written articles for journals, book chapters, and has also co-authored English course books. She is editing a forthcoming book by OUP. Azra Ahmed, Senior Instructor at the Aga Khan University, Centre of English Language Coordinates the SON English Programme and the Online English Language Learning programme for CEL. She has a Masters degree in TEFL, Pakistan, and has done many certificate courses from UK and Spain. She has published in Humanizing Language Teaching, SPELT Quarterly and her forthcoming publication is in BESIG Newsletter. Mohammad Zafar works as an Assistant Professor at the Aga Khan University, Centre of English Language. He has co-authored a chapter on Gender and Education (OUP) and also co-authored a chapter in the forthcoming book on English and Employment (OUP). He writes for leading newspapers of Pakistan on ELT/ESP issues.