The Belonging, Identity, Language, and Diversity (BILD) group was founded at McGill University in 2013, comprised of Education graduate students and faculty members with a common interest in issues of belonging, identity, language, and diversity from a critical sociolinguistics perspective. The group has grown to include scholars at several other Canadian universities. Many of us have done or are doing research that directly relates to Montréal’s complex sociolinguistic dynamic. In contrast to those theories that view language as monolithic, discrete, and measurable, we take the view that language is a social practice. Fundamentally, we believe that the study of language cannot be separated from the lived experiences of individuals. The purpose of the BILD group is multidimensional: Within our group, we seek to provide opportunities for peer support, collaboration, and dialogue about the issues that are of interest to us. Looking outward, we also seek to foster dialogue within our faculty, the university, and the international sociolinguistics community. Overall, we are committed to establishing and maintaining a community of like-minded scholars with an interest in critical sociolinguistics, especially as it relates to issues of belonging, identity, language, and diversity.

We meet monthly, and publish weekly through the academic year.