Convenors:
Prof. Peter L. Patrick
Language & Linguistics
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
Essex, UK
+44 (0) 1206 872088

Prof. Monika Schmid Language & Linguistics University of Essex & University of Groningen
+44 (0) 1206 872089  

Dr. Karin Zwaan
Centre for Migration Law Radboud University Nijmegen P.O. Box 9049
6500KK Nijmegen
the Netherlands
+31 24 361.2934

E-mail: larg@essex.ac.uk

ESRC LADO Network

ESRC logo

The ESRC LADO Network is a network of researchers established through the UK Economic and Social Research Council grant no. RES-451-26-0911 to Prof. Peter L. Patrick of the University of Essex Dept. of Language & Linguistics and Human Rights Centre, in order to conduct a series of Research Seminars. The theme is "Language Analysis of Asylum Applicants: Foundations, Guidelines & Best Practice", and the meetings are being held in 2011-12 at the University of Essex.

The membership of the ESRC LADO Network initially consists of the LARG Convenors and Advisory Panel. The four meetings reach beyond this membership to involve a broad range of academics and practitioners, as well as postgraduate students and young scholars. They will assemble linguists and professionals involved in Language Analysis for Determination of Origins (LADO), as well as participants from legal, government, academic, NGO and other backgrounds engaged in refugee status determination.

ESRC LADO Network Seminar #1:

"Data Elicitation for LADO"

Fri 17 June 2011

University of Essex Colchester campus, Square 1, Psychology Building, Room 4.722 (Senate Room)

Description:

This meeting examined the issues involved in interpreting language data from asylum seekers. It focused on methodology (eliciting data to sample speakers' linguistic repertoires).

Data collection methods are at the heart of validity, reliability and practical considerations in linguistic analysis, yet have only begun to receive attention in LADO debates. If the primary goal of LADO elicitation is a representative sample of the speaker’s linguistic repertoire, within the boundaries set by asylum procedures, how should LADO elicitations be managed?

To what extent do the multiple challenges of the LADO setting - time constraints, interviewer training and language competence, dislocation in time/space, multilingualism and linguistic accommodation, the restricted administrative context of LADO interviews, linguistic imitation (non-authentic speech), cross-cultural misunderstanding, the desirability of narration, varying levels of understanding of interview goals, and test-awareness  - make the application of classic sociolinguistic and ethnographic techniques desirable or problematic?

This seminar brought together researchers with knowledge of linguistic data elicitation and LADO practitioners to discuss the challenges, ideas about the perfect LADO interview/monologue/narrative, and current practices. The exchange between practitioners and researchers aimed to result in a deeper understanding of the criteria for high-quality LADO data collection, and a preliminary agenda was drawn up for research in this area.

Participants:

Name Affiliation Role
Dr Enam Al-Wer Univ of Essex, Linguistics; LARG Discussant for John Victor Singler
Syd Bolton
Solicitor and Co-Director Refugee Children's Rights Project, CLC Participant
Katy Brickley Cardiff Univ, CLRC Participant
Deborah Cole Cardiff Univ, CLRC Participant
Sarah E. Craig Univ of Glasgow, Law, GRAMnet Participant
Dr. Anna De Fina Georgetown Univ, Italian Speaker: "The interview as an interactional event"
Benoit Dhondt Univ of Essex, Human Rights Participant
Dr Diana Eades Univ of New England; LARG Final Discussant
Marlies Elebaut Belgium, IBZ bureau Participant
Simonette Favaro-Buschor Switzerland, Lingua bureau Speaker: "The ideal LADO interview"
Peter Gottschligg Austria, LADO practitioner Participant
Jasmina Gustavsen Norway, UDI bureau Speaker: "Experiences of the Norwegian UDI with eliciting monologues for Language Analysis"
Priska Hubbuch Switzerland, Lingua bureau Speaker: "The ideal LADO interview"
Dr. Claire Jones independent researcher Discussant for Frances Rock
Stefanie Lang Univ of Essex, Linguistics/EBS Participant
Lars Johan Lundberg Verified, Production mgr/linguist Participant
Dr Katrijn Maryns Univ of Gent; LARG Discussant for Anna De Fina
Prof Tim McNamara Univ of Melbourne; LARG Discussant for Jasmina Gustavsen
Prof Peter L Patrick Univ of Essex, Linguistics, Human Rights; LARG Organizer
Ria Perkins Aston Univ, Centre for Forensic Linguistics Participant
Dr. Frances Rock Cardiff Univ, CLRC Speaker: "Interview training and interview practice"
Prof John Victor Singler New York Univ;  LARG Speaker: "Data elicitation for LADO, as seen through the lens of sociolinguistics"
Ariel Vazquez Carranza Univ of Essex, Linguistics Assistant Organizer
Dr Maaike Verrips De Taalstudio agency, Director Discussant for S Favaro-Buschor & P Hubbuch
     

Schedule:

  • 9:00am    Welcome
  • 9:15am    Introduction: Peter L Patrick
  • 9:30am    John Victor Singler: "Data elicitation for LADO, as seen through the lens of sociolinguistics"
  • 10:00am  Enam Al-Wer, discussant
  • 10:15am  General discussion
  • 10:30am  -- Coffee break --
  • 11:00am  Simonette Favaro-Buschor & Priska Hubbuch, "The ideal LADO interview"
  • 11:30am  Maaike Verrips, discussant
  • 11:45am  General discussion
  • 12 noon   -- Lunch (provided)--
  • 1:15pm    Jasmina Gustavsen, "Experiences of Norwegian UDI w/eliciting monologues for language analysis"
  • 1:45pm    Tim McNamara, discussant
  • 2:00pm    General discussion
  • 2:15pm    Anna De Fina, "The interview as an interactional event"
  • 2:45pm    Katrijn Maryns, discussant
  • 3:00pm    General discussion
  • 3:15pm    -- Coffee break  --
  • 3:30pm    Frances Rock, "Interview training and interview practice"
  • 4:00pm    Claire Jones, discussant
  • 4:15pm    General discussion
  • 4:45pm    Diana Eades, round-up discussant
  • 5:15pm    Peter L Patrick, Plans and publication
  • 5:30pm    -- Drinks reception --
  • 7:00pm    Informal dinner in Colchester (optional)