Dr Yecid Ortega is a lecturer of Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Queen's University Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK). In this project, Dr. Ortega’s research draws upon multimodal approaches to explore the relational and sociopolitical dimensions of languages and cultures as experienced and enacted by those living in urban communities in metropolitan cities. 

I am a PhD researcher examining the relationship between Gaeloideachas (Irish language education) and community regeneration and language reclamation in iarthair Bhéal Feirste (west Belfast).  I am from Béal Feirste and was raised bilingually with Gaeilge and English in my home and I attended Gaeloideachas which massively shaped my own commitments to decolonisation, social justice, and education.  I have a history in political organising for feminist, anarchist, and anti-fascist causes and within these movements I was emphatic about the use of agitation and propaganda in the form of graffiti, posters, and videos to draw attention to these campaigns for social justice.  My research interests include language reclamation, decolonisation, and movements for social justice. 

I am a PhD researcher investigating the construction and negotiation of language teacher identities in a non-formal adult ESOL setting in Belfast (Northern Ireland). My research looks at how language ideologies, teaching practices, and social interactions contribute to shape our identity as teachers and defines our belonging into a community. As originally from Spain and settled in a pluricultural city like Belfast for more than five years, I understand the importance of intercultural and linguistic diversity that embraces and shapes our daily experiences and interactions. My research interests are on language teacher identity, raciolinguistics, language ideologies and bi/multilingualism. 

Dia daoibh! I'm Alex, and I'm a PhD researcher in Social Sciences at the University of València. My research focuses on the experiences of speakers of minoritised languages in cities, particularly Irish speakers in Dublin and Catalan/Valencian speakers in València. Using mobile methods, I am studying the ways city-based minoritised-language speakers use language and the space of the city, and how they understand their own relationship to the city as speakers. If I'm not talking about languages in the city, I'm probably talking about my animal comrades, such as Frida the dog (pictured).  

I am doing a master’s degree in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at Queen’s University Belfast. I also hold a master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Education, communication and linguistics have been my major professional and research focus for an extended period of time. Moving to Belfast in 2020, I was fascinated by its unique and complex cultural and historical legacy. While doing my master’s degree in Educational Leadership, my research shed light on the communication problems between the Education Authority and school teachers in Belfast, which provided first-hand insights into the local communities, their values and struggles. I have extensive experience teaching English as a foreign language to Russian students in state and private language schools, which has highlighted the paramount importance of school policies and diverse language exposure in local communities.