ERIC Number: EJ1139720
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1367-0050
EISSN: N/A
Russian as a Commodity: Medical Tourism and the Healthcare Industry in Post-Soviet Lithuania
Muth, Sebastian
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, v20 n4 p404-416 2017
The focus of this paper is on Lithuania, where government policies continue to limit the use of Russian in education, the public space and the media, while the local economy has recognized proficiency in Russian as a commodity. This is particularly salient in the healthcare industry that grew significantly in the past years with patients from post-Soviet countries seeking treatment at local hospitals and private clinics. Marketed for their "European" standards and competitive prices, promotional discourses refer to proficiency in Russian and familiarity with Russian culture and customs among medical staff. This commodification of Russian challenges perceptions on the value of language in the formation of political and cultural identities, pointing towards a paradigmatic shift and renegotiation of language attitudes in countries of the former USSR.
Descriptors: Russian, Patients, Tourism, Medical Services, Self Concept, Language Attitudes, Public Policy, Language Proficiency, Foreign Countries, Language Usage, Hospitals, Clinics, Standards, Costs, Discourse Analysis, Health Services, Health Personnel, Ethnography, Participant Observation, Interviews, Questionnaires
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Lithuania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A