‘It’s no longer “that black woman”; it’s “that woman”’: language in the dynamics of vulnerability and resilience

This article aims to explore the interplay between language, vulnerability and resilience. More concretely, it examines the ways in which being subject to language-related vulnerability in interactions with the public shapes the agency of politicians of migrant origin in Ireland. Using a theoretical approach that sees vulnerability and resilience as dynamically related, the article analyses data from interviews with two local politicians of migrant background who speak a variety of English other than Irish English. The study shows that they find a way, albeit not without struggle, to enact agentive strategies to position themselves in the field of politics.