Opening with a discussion of the key issues of globalization, migration, multiculturalism, multilingualism and global cities, David Block then turns to four detailed case studies: East Asian students living and working in London; foreign language teachers from France; London's growing Latino community; and second generation South Asian university students. Via these case studies the book explores the ambivalent and multi-layered identities of individuals who have crossed geographical and psychological borders during the course of their lifetimes and settled in London, the quintessential global city.

'This book is an important contribution to the study of transnational migrants...Most importantly, it raises provocative questions about the nature and functioning of multilingual societies and identities and illustrates the usefulness of life stories as a way of investigating new migrant communities...offers a beautiful tribute to the author's new adopted city and an engaging, informative, and thought-provoking study that will be of interest to a variety of readers interested in migration, globalization, multilingualism, and identity construction.' - Discourse& Communication

'...the book is important for those who want to better understand individual lives within the context of globalization. While there are many treatments of this subject, there are few that provide the conceptual clarity, along with the richness of story detail, that Block gives us in this book.' - Ofelia Garcia, Columbia University

Autorentext
SIÂN PREECE is Senior Lecturer in Educational Development at the University of Westminster, London, UK, and Course Leader of Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MA in Higher Education

Inhalt
List of Tables and Figures Preface Acknowledgements Globalization and Migration Multiculturalism and Identities The Global City and the History of Migration and Multilingualism in Britain and London Researching London Stories Japanese Graduate Students in London French Foreign Language Teachers in London Spanish-speaking Latinos in London British Asian Undergraduate Students in London; S.Preece Taking Stock: Where to, London? Notes Bibliography Index