Fields of Study

For students interested in working with indigenous communities to protect and revitalize their languages and cultures, two fields are particularly relevant:

Linguistics. Linguists document indigenous languages, providing recordings, texts, and analyses that help communities protect and revitalize their languages. Linguists may focus on grammar, sound systems, story-telling, or other aspects of language. They may also develop online repositories to share this information. Professors Shobhana Chelliah and Sadaf Munshi work in this area.

Anthropology. Anthropologists document cultural practices and beliefs, and the institutional contexts that people navigate in their daily lives. The master's program at UNT prepares students for careers as applied anthropologists who seek to ameliorate social problems. This can include collaborating with indigenous communities to address their needs. Professor Christina Wasson is working with communities to develop online resources for language and culture revitalization.

Volunteer Opportunities

For organizations that might welcome volunteers, see Resources on Indigenous Languages.

You can also contact the professors mentioned above for suggestions (Shobhana Chelliah and Sadaf Munshi in Linguistics, Christina Wasson in Anthropology).

Careers

Relevant careers include working for archives, museums, libraries, and technology companies. People may also work directly for indigenous communities.

Additional organizations that hire people are listed under Resources on Indigenous Languages.