Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Discursive Discrimination Ableism and Linguicism in Governmental Documentation – The Case of Swedish Sign Language

Larsdotter, Maria LU ; Lyngbäck, Liz Adams and Johansson, Stefan LU (2025) In International Journal of Disability and Social Justice 5(3). p.310-331
Abstract

Swedish Sign Language [svenskt teckenspråk, STS] has often been described as being the first officially recognised sign language in the world, passed into law in 1981. This was a parliamentary decision that later led to the provision of bimodal-bilingual education and the keeping of a separate school system for deaf students. However, today, STS is not granted the same rights as the five declared minority languages and not all deaf children in Sweden are being granted access to an education in STS. So, what exactly was decided by the Swedish Parliament in 1981? This critical discourse analysis shows that Swedish legislative documentation regarding STS, rests on unclear intertextual referencing, common-sense implied agreements, and... (More)

Swedish Sign Language [svenskt teckenspråk, STS] has often been described as being the first officially recognised sign language in the world, passed into law in 1981. This was a parliamentary decision that later led to the provision of bimodal-bilingual education and the keeping of a separate school system for deaf students. However, today, STS is not granted the same rights as the five declared minority languages and not all deaf children in Sweden are being granted access to an education in STS. So, what exactly was decided by the Swedish Parliament in 1981? This critical discourse analysis shows that Swedish legislative documentation regarding STS, rests on unclear intertextual referencing, common-sense implied agreements, and discursive discrimination through linguicism and ableism, specifically audism. The legislative discourses studied reveal an accommodating ambition by the political actors, which is simultaneously ambiguous, non-binding, and leaves open many possible interpretations.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
critical discourse analysis, deaf, discursive discrimination, language policy, language rights, minority language, STS, Swedish Sign Language
in
International Journal of Disability and Social Justice
volume
5
issue
3
pages
22 pages
publisher
Pluto Journals
external identifiers
  • scopus:105026694591
ISSN
2732-4036
DOI
10.13169/intljofdissocjus.5.3.0003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025, Maria (Mia) Larsdotter, Liz Adams Lyngbäck, and Stefan Johansson.
id
b89046c4-b96c-41ee-9272-8780b5f9c0c8
date added to LUP
2026-02-11 14:06:42
date last changed
2026-02-11 14:07:48
@article{b89046c4-b96c-41ee-9272-8780b5f9c0c8,
  abstract     = {{<p>Swedish Sign Language [svenskt teckenspråk, STS] has often been described as being the first officially recognised sign language in the world, passed into law in 1981. This was a parliamentary decision that later led to the provision of bimodal-bilingual education and the keeping of a separate school system for deaf students. However, today, STS is not granted the same rights as the five declared minority languages and not all deaf children in Sweden are being granted access to an education in STS. So, what exactly was decided by the Swedish Parliament in 1981? This critical discourse analysis shows that Swedish legislative documentation regarding STS, rests on unclear intertextual referencing, common-sense implied agreements, and discursive discrimination through linguicism and ableism, specifically audism. The legislative discourses studied reveal an accommodating ambition by the political actors, which is simultaneously ambiguous, non-binding, and leaves open many possible interpretations.</p>}},
  author       = {{Larsdotter, Maria and Lyngbäck, Liz Adams and Johansson, Stefan}},
  issn         = {{2732-4036}},
  keywords     = {{critical discourse analysis; deaf; discursive discrimination; language policy; language rights; minority language; STS; Swedish Sign Language}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{310--331}},
  publisher    = {{Pluto Journals}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Disability and Social Justice}},
  title        = {{Discursive Discrimination Ableism and Linguicism in Governmental Documentation – The Case of Swedish Sign Language}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.13169/intljofdissocjus.5.3.0003}},
  doi          = {{10.13169/intljofdissocjus.5.3.0003}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}