Epistemicide, deficit language ideology, and (de)coloniality in language education policy

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to analyze how research approaches and methods in language education policy could serve erase local multilingualism its associated epistemologies while reproducing inequalities languages. This builds on “epistemicide” (Santos, Boaventura de Sousa. 2014. Epistemologies the South: Justice against epistemicide . New York: Routledge) critique knowledge constructed basis evidence collected by using questions binary/conflictual terms misrepresents real experiences voices multilingual participants, particularly those from language-minoritized communities. argues that advancing building educational practices upon lived people, Indigenous ethnic minorities, help us resist destruction languages, epistemologies, linguistic/epistemic self-determination I use case Nepal not only because am familiar with historical, sociopolitical, cultural contexts (so can provide an insider’s reflective perspective), but also Nepal’s offers new insights into understanding ideological issues discourses policies vantage point “peripheral multilingualism” (Pietikäinen, Sari & Helen Kelly-Holmes. 2013. Multilingualism periphery Oxford: Oxford University Press).