A Seat at the Table: Language Cafes

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Over 400 higher education degrees have been eliminated, merged or suspended in Indiana to comply with new state law, and foreign language programs were among the hardest hit. At Indiana University this includes bachelor programs in French, Germanic Studies, Italian, Portuguese, Middle Eastern languages and cultures, Spanish, Slavic and East European languages. Masters and graduate programs are also on the chopping block. In Bloomington, “language cafes” are one way that foreign tongues persist. We hear from Nikole Langjahr, host of the “Stammtisch” German language cafe, Germanic Studies professor Johannes Türk, Indiana University Russian Flagship Program director Maria Shardakova, and Ukrainian language cafe host Svitlana Melnyk. Many of them say these conversation tables are about more than just practicing language skills; having a seat at the table also builds community.

CREDIT:
Today’s feature story on Bloomington’s foreign language conversation tables was produced by Mia Hilkowitz in partnership with The Media School at Indiana University with theme music by AuDioChosis.