Languages have deep political significance beyond communication: a common language can strengthen cultural bonds and social trust, or it may exacerbate cultural differences and power imbalances. Language regimes that emerge from political bargains can centralize power by favoring the language of one ethnolinguistic group, share power by recognizing multiple mother tongues, or neutralize power through the use of a lingua franca. Cultural egoism, communicative efficiency, or collective equality determines the choice. As Amy H. Liu demonstrates, the conditions surrounding the choice of a language regime also have a number of implications for a nation's economy. Standardizing Diversity examines the relationship between the distribution of linguistic power and economic growth. Using a newly assembled dataset of all language-in-education policies in Asia from 1945 to 2005 and drawing on fieldwork data from Malaysia and Singapore, Liu shows language regimes that recognize a lingua franca exclusively—or at least above all others—tend to develop social trust, attract foreign investment, and stimulate economic growth. Particularly at high levels of heterogeneity, the recognition of a lingua franca fosters equality and facilitates efficiency. Her findings challenge the prevailing belief that linguistic diversity inhibits economic growth, suggesting instead that governments in even the most ethnically heterogeneous countries have institutional tools to standardize their diversity and to thrive economically.

Arranged around the themes of theorizing and policy-making, race, ethnicity and religion, gender, and class, inequality and welfare, this book addresses the question of whether the European Union tends towards diversification or standardization. It engages with issues of identity, citizenship and social justice, changes throughout the life course, social movements, the reconciliation of work and life, the increasing diversity of cultural values, and integration and immigration, whilst also examining questions of social inclusion and exclusion. Presenting a general theoretical framework for the simultaneous analysis of standardization and diversification processes, alongside detailed case studies at EU and national levels, Diversity, Standardization and Social Transformation explores the interactions between national, European and regional regulatory spaces.

The ancient Near East is a construct defined by present-day scientific investigations, a construct whose temporal and spatial boundaries are fuzzy, constantly shifting under the weight of new empirical data and increasingly sophisticated analytical methods. Its objects of investigation, even those that have resided in museum collections for generations, are in flux, as the profound cultural, geographical, ethnic and social diversity of the ancient Near East threatens to drown out any points of commonality. Yet it is these points of commonality that draw us inevitably to questions of Diversity and Standardization as categories for cross-cultural and trans-historical analysis. As we look across the variegated horizons of antiquity, do these categories have any real analytical power? For instance, the introduction of a new system of measurement or bookkeeping technique or even the imposition of a standardized repertoire of pottery forms on a more-or-less subject population are all examples of the real power of processes of standardization to stabilize territorial political entities. The problem must be posed for the ancient Near East at an even more fundamental level, however: what role do concepts, methods of standardization and, more generally, sign systems play in the reconfiguration and reconstitution of cultural, political, religious, scientific and social spaces? This volume results from a symposium under the aegis of the TOPOI Research Cluster (a trans-disciplinary research center devoted to the investigation of the interdependencies between space and knowledge in the ancient world) that brought together leading archaeologists, philologists, historians and linguists in order to investigate concrete historical examples that speak to questions of Diversity and Standardization in the ancient Near East.

"Standardization Across Disciplines: Language, Technology, and Global Communication" is a comprehensive exploration of the vital role that standardization plays in shaping our world. Authored by Ronald Legarski, a seasoned writer and content creator with a deep passion for language and technology, this book delves into the complexities of standardization across various fields, from language preservation to technological innovation. In a world where consistency, clarity, and interoperability are more important than ever, standardization ensures that we can communicate, collaborate, and advance on a global scale. This book provides readers with a thorough understanding of the processes, challenges, and opportunities involved in creating and implementing standards that are both effective and inclusive. Ronald Legarski takes readers on a journey through the foundations of standardization, offering insights into how it influences everything from global trade to cultural preservation. The book covers a wide range of topics, including multilingual standardization, ethical considerations in standardization efforts, and the future of standardization in the age of artificial intelligence and digital technology. With detailed case studies, practical tips, and an extensive array of resources, "Standardization Across Disciplines" serves as both a guide and a reference for professionals, policymakers, educators, and students. Whether you are involved in developing standards, managing multilingual information systems, or simply interested in the impact of standardization on our world, this book offers valuable knowledge and actionable advice. The book also looks to the future, providing predictions and expert insights into emerging trends that will shape the next decade of standardization efforts. From sustainability to cybersecurity, readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. "Standardization Across Disciplines" is more than just a book—it is a call to action for creating standards that are not only technically sound but also ethically responsible and globally inclusive. Ronald Legarski’s engaging writing and deep expertise make this book an essential read for anyone interested in the power of standards to shape our shared future.

Arranged around the themes of theorizing and policy-making, race, ethnicity and religion, gender, and class, inequality and welfare, this book addresses the question of whether the European Union tends towards diversification or standardization. It engages with issues of identity, citizenship and social justice, changes throughout the life course, social movements, the reconciliation of work and life, the increasing diversity of cultural values, and integration and immigration, whilst also examining questions of social inclusion and exclusion. Presenting a general theoretical framework for the simultaneous analysis of standardization and diversification processes, alongside detailed case studies at EU and national levels, Diversity, Standardization and Social Transformation explores the interactions between national, European and regional regulatory spaces.

The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781138125124, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. This volume addresses a crucial, yet largely unaddressed dimension of minority language standardization, namely how social actors engage with, support, negotiate, resist and even reject such processes. The focus is on social actors rather than language as a means for analysing the complexity and tensions inherent in contemporary standardization processes. By considering the perspectives and actions of people who participate in or are affected by minority language politics, the contributors aim to provide a comparative and nuanced analysis of the complexity and tensions inherent in minority language standardisation processes. Echoing Fasold (1984), this involves a shift in focus from a sociolinguistics of language to a sociolinguistics of people. The book addresses tensions that are born of the renewed or continued need to standardize ‘language’ in the early 21st century across the world. It proposes to go beyond the traditional macro/micro dichotomy by foregrounding the role of actors as they position themselves as users of standard forms of language, oral or written, across sociolinguistic scales. Language policy processes can be seen as practices and ideologies in action and this volume therefore investigates how social actors in a wide range of geographical settings embrace, contribute to, resist and also reject (aspects of) minority language standardization.

Language standardization is an ongoing process based on the notions of linguistic correctness and models. This manual contains thirty-six chapters that deal with the theories of linguistic norms and give a comprehensive up-to-date description and analysis of the standardization processes in the Romance languages. The first section presents the essential approaches to the concept of linguistic norm ranging from antiquity to the present, and includes individual chapters on the notion of linguistic norms and correctness in classical grammar and rhetoric, in the Prague School, in the linguistic theory of Eugenio Coseriu, in sociolinguistics as well as in pragmatics, cognitive and discourse linguistics. The second section focuses on the application of these notions with respect to the Romance languages. It examines in detail the normative grammar and the normative dictionary as the reference tools for language codification and modernization of those languages that have a long and well-established written tradition, i.e. Romanian, Italian, French, Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese. Furthermore, the volume offers a discussion of the key issues regarding the standardization of the ‘minor’ Romance languages as well as Creoles.

The incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (100M) varies dramatically across racial groups and countries, with annual age-adjusted rates of approximately 40/100,000 per year in Finland, but only 0.51100,000 per year in China. Although reasons for these marked geographic differences are unknown, it is likely that genetic variations across populations play a m~or role. To determine the contribution of genetic factors to the global patterns of 100M incidence, international comparative studies are now being undertaken as part of the WHO Multinational Project for Childhood Oiabetes, known as the DIAMOND Project. It is, therefore, necessary to develop and implement epidemiologic standards for these investigations which can be applied across populations. This will ensure that comparable data are obtained in all countries, and that relevant scientific questions can be properly addressed. The development of standards for molecular epidemiologic studies of 100M is the of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop. During this meeting at the objective University of Pittsburgh, scientists from across the world convened to discuss issues relating to the standardization of: 1. the collection of family history data to assess the risk of 100M in first degree relatives, 2. case-control molecular epidemiology studies of 100M susceptibility, 3. HLA family studies, 4. laboratory methods and ONA technology transfer for genetic marker evaluations.