Conducting Research Across Three Languages in a Multilingual Space: Polish Immigrants in Alanya

In multilingual research, language choices and linguistic hierarchies play a significant role. The participants’ language preferences reveal emotional connection and confidence in their self‐expression. Building on Znaniecki’s (1927) concept of humanistic coefficient, Bourdieu’s (1991) theory of linguistic capital, and Blommaert’s (2010) and Heller’s (2007) understandings of multilingualism as social practice, this article examines how multilingual practices reveal underlying power dynamics and social hierarchies. From an ethical and methodological perspective, it proposes a model that prioritizes participant agency, minimizes biases, and redefines the researcher‐participant dynamic by granting participants the freedom to choose their interview language. Drawing on fieldwork conducted among Polish immigrants in Alanya, Türkiye, the article shows how multilingual practices during interviews expose hierarchies. It also allows code‐switching to function as a resource rather than an obstacle. The study offers a methodological framework for managing multilingual interviews, addressing the ethical and analytical challenges of linguistic hierarchies and code‐switching. It contributes to a broader understanding of social inclusion in migration studies by offering practical insights into developing fair participant‐researcher interactions. I argue that emphasizing participants’ linguistic realities and proposing adaptable strategies for multilingual research contribute to more inclusive and equitable methodologies in migration studies.

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Publication Details

Journal
Social Inclusion
Published
2025-11-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.17645/si.10786
Primary Topic
Multilingual Education and Policy
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Conducting Research Across Three Languages in a Multilingual Space: Polish Immigrants in Alanya

Gizem Karaköse
Social Inclusion
Multilingual Education and Policy
article

Conducting Research Across Three Languages in a Multilingual Space: Polish Immigrants in Alanya

Gizem Karaköse
article en

Abstract

In multilingual research, language choices and linguistic hierarchies play a significant role. The participants’ language preferences reveal emotional connection and confidence in their self‐expression. Building on Znaniecki’s (1927) concept of humanistic coefficient, Bourdieu’s (1991) theory of linguistic capital, and Blommaert’s (2010) and Heller’s (2007) understandings of multilingualism as social practice, this article examines how multilingual practices reveal underlying power dynamics and social hierarchies. From an ethical and methodological perspective, it proposes a model that prioritizes participant agency, minimizes biases, and redefines the researcher‐participant dynamic by granting participants the freedom to choose their interview language. Drawing on fieldwork conducted among Polish immigrants in Alanya, Türkiye, the article shows how multilingual practices during interviews expose hierarchies. It also allows code‐switching to function as a resource rather than an obstacle. The study offers a methodological framework for managing multilingual interviews, addressing the ethical and analytical challenges of linguistic hierarchies and code‐switching. It contributes to a broader understanding of social inclusion in migration studies by offering practical insights into developing fair participant‐researcher interactions. I argue that emphasizing participants’ linguistic realities and proposing adaptable strategies for multilingual research contribute to more inclusive and equitable methodologies in migration studies.

Social InclusionVol. 14
Nicolaus Copernicus University (PL)
Openalex Percentile: Top 60%
Multilingual Education and Policy
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