Plaidoyer pour la variation: mélanges en hommage à Marielle Rispail éd. par Bouchra El Barkani et Zahir Meksem (review)

This collection of articles is a work of homage to Marielle Rispail, pioneer of the socially-oriented framework in multilingual education known as la sociodidactique des langues. In a nutshell, Rispail's research program examines the relationships between general education, language learning, teaching, and sociolinguistic context. It asserts that multilingualism is the norm rather than the exception, and must be fully integrated into institutional, pedagogical, and political consciousness in order to achieve optimal outcomes for students and society. Rispail's colleagues and friends have come together to reflect on—but also to expand upon—Rispail's innovative directions within la sociodidactique. Those readers already familiar with previous works will appreciate new applications and case studies presented in this volume. For those who are not familiar with la sociodidactique des langues, this volume is an effective introduction to the subject. Each article presents a particular problem or case study of language diversity and individual speakers in relation to either society or educational spheres. Three general categories emerge among the articles that echo and extend ideas from Rispail's research. The first category is the study of cultural identity in social and historic context. Noura Tigziri presents a dialectology study of kinship terms in Tamazight varieties spoken in Algeria and respective meaning-identity correlations. Claude Cortier examines the emergence of linguistic identity in Latin America. He uses translated historic accounts of colonization. Such studies are in the vein of Rispail's legacy that is invested in public and institutional discourse surrounding multilingualism. They further contribute to the understanding of diversity, identities, and historic factors. The second category regards the plural society and confirms Rispail's reputation as a champion of multilingualism. Joaquim Dolz summarizes la sociodidactique in the form of seven "rules" that pertain to connections among linguistic identities, education, and social outcomes. Véronique Miguel Addisu elaborates a central tenant of la sociodidactique: knowing more than one language is essential in order to fully understand otherness. Evidence-based studies described or referenced in these chapters reveal multiple educational and societal benefits of robust language education programs. Readers are also reminded of the cost and dangers of monolingualism. Monolingual individuals demonstrate a compromised ability to understand others and are prone to glottophobia. The third category pertains to teaching resources and practices. Stéphanie Clerc Conan writes about the art of carrying out classroom research. Jean Casenave and Itziar Idiazabal discuss teacher preparation in a revitalized Basque immersion program in southwestern France. Such studies help carry Rispail's framework from theory to practice. Each article begins with a personal anecdote describing Rispail's influence and ideas. A true homage, the book ends with a témoignages section to praise Rispail for her influential ideas and her dedication to bringing people and languages together.