Diversity, equity and inclusion in theory and practice

Abstract The fast changing global social, political, and ecological landscape has forced policy makers and teachers of lesser-taught languages, such as Serbian, to rethink the positioning of these languages in national and international contexts. In this study, we explore the role of curriculum for teaching and learning Serbian as a foreign, second, heritage language (SFL2HL) as constraining or inhibiting factor in the design and implementation of inclusive language education. Through a multiple case study we investigate de jur e language education policies and their de facto outcomes among three groups of learners: victims of forced transnational migrations (especially focusing on the migrant crisis and the “Balkan route” which has been active roughly since 2015 onwards); members of the Serbian diaspora communities who view their heritage language as an important facet of their individual and collective cultural identity; and voluntary migrants from non-European parts of the world to Serbia in search of high quality university education. Within the framework of critical pedagogy and critical discourse analysis, an examination of relevant documents and official websites is triangulated with insiders’ interpretations obtained through in-depth interviews and an autoethnographic account. Our findings indicate that effective SFL2HL learning and teaching across diverse contexts requires a highly flexible curriculum created though a bottom-up approach if it intends to address and respond to the needs and interests of all stakeholders. This aligns with both human rights principles, ensuring equitable and inclusive access to education, and democratic principles, emphasizing the equal participation of all stakeholders in the curriculum development and implementation process.