The Writing Center at the University of Pittsburgh values the diverse linguistic expressions of the writers we work with. We strive to uphold the values of linguistic justice.
According to April Baker-Bell (2020), linguistic justice is an anti-racist approach to the use of language. As institutional sites, writing centers have often been positioned as sites for remediation or places that “fix” broken usages of English writing. These beliefs are rooted in racist and nationalist histories. We follow recent scholarship, like that published in Writing Centers & Racial Justice: A Guidebook for Critical Praxis (Morrison and Garriot, 2023) and Counterstories from the Writing Center (Faison and Condon, 2022) that call for writing centers to actively pursue anti-racist linguistic practices.
As such, we reject hierarchies of English language use, and the myth of one “correct” standard of English. We are committed to challenging language discrimination and to providing feedback that promotes agency and choice in matters of correctness.
Beginning with the training of our peer tutors (ENGCOMP 1210, Seminar in Tutoring Peer Writers), Pitt Writing Center consultants engage in ongoing professional development to recognize our potential biases and to work with writers in culturally-informed ways, with humility and respect for difference.
Our principles of linguistic justice include, but are not limited to:
- prioritizing ideas, content, and meaning over issues like standard grammar
- Emphasizing our belief and practice that there is not a hierarchy of English usage, including dialects, accents and vernaculars
- Valuing diverse approaches to language and ideas
- Challenging limited definitions of correctness and/or Standard English
- Understanding that language and standards change to include evolving expressions of English
- Understanding the primacy and value of a writer's native languages
- Valuing the writer's goals for the session, which may include navigating specific expectations of professors, assignments, and professional contexts
- Centering issues of linguistic justice in English Composition 1210: Tutoring Peer Writers, our peer tutor training course
- Providing regular space for discussions amongst our writing consultants about issues related to linguistic justice
We are grateful for the linguistic justice statements at a number of institutions that have helped shape our approach, including Sweetland Center for Writing, Univ of Michigan; UConn Writing Center; and Center for Excellence in Writing, U of Buffalo. The development and implementation of our linguistic justice vision is an on-going process; just as language grows and evolves, we also expect this policy to adapt and change. We welcome continued conversations about our policy and approach.