A skill or a discipline? An examination of employability and the study of modern foreign languages.

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Description/Abstract

The connection between employability and modern languages is frequently framed within a utilitarian discourse about the importance of foreign language competence for business and national security in an age of globalisation.
Whilst these arguments have significant merit, they often obscure the
humanities nature of Modern Languages (ML) degrees and the skills and attributes that ML students develop in the course of their studies. Examining messages about the connections between languages and employability in contemporary and historical perspectives, this article aims to bring a greater sophistication to our understanding of the relationship between language competence and employability.