Language planning and identity construction in postcolonial educational policies: a comparative analysis of Portuguese-speaking countries

Abstract This study examines the relationship between educational language policies and national identity construction in Portuguese-speaking countries during the postcolonial era. Through a comparative case study methodology employing critical discourse analysis and policy ethnography, the research analyzes how language planning strategies embedded within educational policies contribute to the construction and reconstruction of national identity across Lusophone nations. The study reveals three dominant characteristics shaping contemporary language planning approaches: the persistent hegemony of Portuguese as the primary medium of formal education, the marginalized status of indigenous and local languages despite constitutional recognition, and increasing tensions between linguistic pragmatism and cultural authenticity in postcolonial identity formation. The analysis demonstrates that Portuguese dominance in educational systems creates hierarchical identity structures where Portuguese proficiency becomes synonymous with full citizenship participation, while speakers of indigenous languages face systematic disadvantages that reproduce colonial-era inequalities. The findings suggest that educational language policies function as subtle instruments of cultural hegemony that shape not only linguistic competencies but also fundamental categories of national belonging. The research contributes to postcolonial linguistics scholarship by providing systematic analysis of how educational language policies operate as mechanisms of both cultural domination and resistance, offering evidence-based insights for developing more equitable and culturally responsive language planning frameworks.