Language and the demand for self-determination

Abstract Language restrictions frequently elicit strong reactions from minority groups. What explains variations in responses to these linguistic policies? Contrary to the expectations of governments that employ restrictive, assimilationist language policies, I find that more severe restrictions on language tend to increase minority demands for self-determination rather than cultivate national unity. Using data from the All Minorities at Risk data set ( Birnir et al., 2018 ), I find support for language’s theorized relationship with self-determination demands. The relationship between restrictions and self-determination demands does not appear in the context of religion, underscoring the particular role that language and language restrictions play.