Pictures of Eralan 2: Leaders at the table
The Cluster of Sociolinguistics and Mondragon University have concluded the research project Eralan2 and the conclusions were presented to the public on 17 November. In public institutions and companies where there are plans to normalize the Basque language, the project analyzes how the leadership variable behaves. Seven pilot experiments were carried out: Bermeo City Council, Fagor Ederlan, Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, Berri City Council, Donostia Gipuzkoa Kutxa, JEZ Sistemas Ferroviarios and Mungialdea Social Services Consortium.
Leadership, unlike in sport, politics or feminism, is a variable that has been treated very little in relation to language. The project has lasted two years and the seven interventions are only a small sample. Nekane Goikoetxea, director of the project, stated clearly that working on leadership in the normalization of the Basque language will not be a panacea and that there are no round maps.
The theorization of leadership is complex, largely unknown, and more than one participant in the seven interventions acknowledged that it was not easy for them to position themselves on the subject. Although it is Eralan2 (which has a precedent of Eralan1), it can be said that the language/leadership binomial has only been launched.
At the Faculty of Huhezi, the explanatory introduction by Nekane Goikoetxea and the explanations of the seven “guinea pigs” helped us to understand the unknown subject a little. However, the following round table was the most representative. Sitting there were Edurne Urrutia, Fagor Ederlan Koop, the account holder of the Bermeo City Council. The President of E. Mikel Uribaliebarria, on behalf of the Director of Social Action of the Kutxa, Carlos Ruiz and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Deputy of Culture and Basque, María Jesús Aranburu, and the Director of Basque, Estibaliz Alkorta. The five are leaders in their companies or organizations and have participated in the Eralan2 project. It was very interesting to hear their experiences: how they live the Basque language in the workplace, how they develop their relationship with their colleagues with the Basque language involved, how they live to be an example...
Leadership, unlike in sport, politics or feminism, is a variable that has been treated very little in relation to language. The project has lasted two years and the seven interventions are only a small sample. Nekane Goikoetxea, director of the project, stated clearly that working on leadership in the normalization of the Basque language will not be a panacea and that there are no round maps.
The theorization of leadership is complex, largely unknown, and more than one participant in the seven interventions acknowledged that it was not easy for them to position themselves on the subject. Although it is Eralan2 (which has a precedent of Eralan1), it can be said that the language/leadership binomial has only been launched.
At the Faculty of Huhezi, the explanatory introduction by Nekane Goikoetxea and the explanations of the seven “guinea pigs” helped us to understand the unknown subject a little. However, the following round table was the most representative. Sitting there were Edurne Urrutia, Fagor Ederlan Koop, the account holder of the Bermeo City Council. The President of E. Mikel Uribaliebarria, on behalf of the Director of Social Action of the Kutxa, Carlos Ruiz and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, the Deputy of Culture and Basque, María Jesús Aranburu, and the Director of Basque, Estibaliz Alkorta. The five are leaders in their companies or organizations and have participated in the Eralan2 project. It was very interesting to hear their experiences: how they live the Basque language in the workplace, how they develop their relationship with their colleagues with the Basque language involved, how they live to be an example...