My research interests focus on the intersections of language, race, and work(place learning). While language has garnered increasing attention from race scholars who note how it can be used to construct racial identities and act as a proxy for racism, labour scholars describe the ubiquity of language in present-day knowledge- and service-based industries where (oral) communication constitutes work itself. The purpose of my research is to bridge these two disciplinary perspectives by exploring the racialization of workers whose job responsibilities require the use of language. I am especially interested in how this racialization often results in the material/symbolic marginalization of workers who are deemed deficient in “language work” on account of racism. In order to explore this specific interest, I typically draw on theoretical frameworks and conceptual tools from critical race, sociolinguistic, and labour studies, which help to explain how the marginalization of racially minoritized language workers can be tied to a series of oppressive ideologies, systems, and institutional practices. Since my research has focused on the experiences of marginalized language workers, I employ qualitative research methods that allow participants to name/construct their own realities and make sense of their place in the world. Beyond its scholarly contributions, my research works toward changes to institutional policies and practices that disadvantage racially minoritized language workers.
Recent Research Projects
Racism and the Work of English Language Teachers
Sample Work:
Ramjattan, V.A. (2019). The white native speaker and inequality regimes in the private English language school. Intercultural Education, 30(2), 126-140. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2019). Racist nativist microaggressions and the professional resistance of racialized English language teachers in Toronto. Race Ethnicity and Education, 22(3), 374-390. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2015). Lacking the right aesthetic: Everyday employment discrimination in Toronto private language schools. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 34(8), 692-704. [Link]
The Workplace Learning of International Teaching Assistants
Sample Work:
Ramjattan, V.A. (2023). The accent work of international teaching assistants. TESOL Quarterly, 57(4), 1256-1281. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2023). Engineered accents: International teaching assistants and their microaggression learning in engineering departments. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(6), 1119-1134. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2021). The transracial aesthetic labour of an international teaching assistant. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 40(8), 973- 985. [Link]
The Racialization of Accent in Work and Migration
Sample Work:
Ramjattan, V.A. (2022). Accenting racism in labour migration. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 42, 87-92. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2022). Racializing the problem of and solution to foreign accent in business. Applied Linguistics Review, 13(4), 527-544. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2019). Raciolinguistics and the aesthetic labourer. Journal of Industrial Relations, 61(5), 726-738. [Link]
Sample Work:
Ramjattan, V.A. (2019). The white native speaker and inequality regimes in the private English language school. Intercultural Education, 30(2), 126-140. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2019). Racist nativist microaggressions and the professional resistance of racialized English language teachers in Toronto. Race Ethnicity and Education, 22(3), 374-390. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2015). Lacking the right aesthetic: Everyday employment discrimination in Toronto private language schools. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 34(8), 692-704. [Link]
The Workplace Learning of International Teaching Assistants
Sample Work:
Ramjattan, V.A. (2023). The accent work of international teaching assistants. TESOL Quarterly, 57(4), 1256-1281. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2023). Engineered accents: International teaching assistants and their microaggression learning in engineering departments. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(6), 1119-1134. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2021). The transracial aesthetic labour of an international teaching assistant. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 40(8), 973- 985. [Link]
The Racialization of Accent in Work and Migration
Sample Work:
Ramjattan, V.A. (2022). Accenting racism in labour migration. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 42, 87-92. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2022). Racializing the problem of and solution to foreign accent in business. Applied Linguistics Review, 13(4), 527-544. [Link]
Ramjattan, V.A. (2019). Raciolinguistics and the aesthetic labourer. Journal of Industrial Relations, 61(5), 726-738. [Link]