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 #3:
"Issues of Expertise and Recognition of Professional
Standards"
Thurs 7 June 2012
University of Essex Colchester campus, Square 1, Senate Room
Description:
The Guidelines for the Use of Language Analysis in relation to Questions
of National Origin in Refugee Cases (Language & National Origin Group,
2004) were the first step towards specifying professional standards for the
conduct of LADO (Language
Analysis for Determination of Origin) – one acknowledged by the authors to be
initial rather than conclusive, and general rather than specific.
Nevertheless, diverging views have surfaced: a dozen national and
international organizations of general, applied and forensic linguists (in e.g.
Australia, the Netherlands, UK and USA), representing many thousands of members,
have
endorsed the
Guidelines; though some linguists
criticized them. Both framers and critics have agreed that supplementary
work is required.
Other professions involved in assessment of asylum applicants (e.g.
medicine) have issued their own guidelines, and for some areas of expertise,
bureaus have been established and recognised by government and the courts (COIS
and CORI in the UK,
ECOI in Europe). In professions more
generally involved in providing forensic expert testimony, both published
guidelines for best practice (IAFPA 2005,
BPS 2008) and academic studies of the issues involved exist. Linguists have
also been involved in inter-disciplinary efforts to investigate, establish and
review standards for collecting and analysing information and testimony from
vulnerable speakers in forensic, clinical and other institutional settings.
This seminar brings together members of these groups:
- language experts with experience in gaining recognition for
professional guidelines in non-academic settings;
- professionals knowledgeable about expertise issues in
forensic and asylum contexts (from anthropology, psychoanalytic
studies, interpreting, medicine and law);
- linguists and practitioners specifically involved with LADO,
and
- participants from legal, NGO and government backgrounds
engaged in refugee status determination (RSD).
The goal is to identify pathways and pitfalls, share advice and experience,
in order to advance understanding, and ultimately institutional recognition, of
best-practice standards in LADO. This should include the professional
recognition of scientifically-qualified linguist experts in LADO by asylum
tribunals, along lines familiar in forensic linguistic practice generally.
Ultimately, such efforts may be harmonised across states (e.g. within the
Common European Asylum System).
Participants:
Links to participants' bios in the 'Name' column; to their webpages in
the 'Affiliation' column