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The Language Freedom Index: A Metric for Policy Evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Michael Gavin ,
Gareth Rees-White ,
Shana Scucchi ,
Harvey Starr  and
Stanley Dubinsky
Michael Gavin*
Affiliation:
Department of English Language and Literature, Welsh Humanities Office Building, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
Gareth Rees-White*
Affiliation:
Department of English Language and Literature, Welsh Humanities Office Building, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
Shana Scucchi*
Affiliation:
Department of English Language and Literature, Welsh Humanities Office Building, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
Harvey Starr*
Affiliation:
Department of English Language and Literature, Welsh Humanities Office Building, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
Stanley Dubinsky*
Affiliation:
Department of English Language and Literature, Welsh Humanities Office Building, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
*
[mgavin@mailbox.sc.edu]
[gareth@email.sc.edu]
[sscucchi@email.sc.edu]
[starr@mailbox.sc.edu]
[dubinsk@mailbox.sc.edu]
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Abstract

This article introduces a framework for systematically evaluating and comparing language rights across national contexts. We develop an index to assess the range of language freedoms, focusing on areas such as government services, education, healthcare, and media. The index compiles multiple variables into a single indicator, offering a concise measure of linguistic freedom. Our analysis shows that larger language communities typically enjoy more language rights, though this relationship is influenced by civil liberties. We argue that this index is both descriptive and normative, providing a tool for comparing language policy and advocating for linguistic justice.

Keywords

language rightslanguage policyeducation policyminority rightshuman rightslinguistic justice

Information

Type
Language and Public Policy
Information
Language , Volume 101 , Issue 2 , June 2025 , pp. e84 - e108
Copyright
Copyright © Linguistic Society of America 2025

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Footnotes

*

Research for this article was supported through an ASPIRE-II grant, ‘Language difference and language policy: Measuring key factors of global conflict’, sponsored by the Office of Research at the University of South Carolina.

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