Funded research projects
(2011-2015) Thales-University of Western Macedonia-Linguistic variation and language ideologies in mass cultural texts" Design, development and assessment of learning material for critical language awareness (PI)
(Linguistic variation and language ideologies in mass cultural texts: Design, development and assessment of learning material for critical language awareness. Greek Ministry of Education -Call “Thalis: Supporting research groups” (coordinator) (budget: 567,000 Euros).
The project explores the possibility to introduce popular cultural texts (e.g. TV programs, advertising, children’s books and magazines, films, songs) to Greek school language arts of all grade levels (i.e. pre-school, primary school, high school), through the design, development and assessment of learning material targeted to raise students’ critical awareness of linguistic variation phenomena (geographical, social, ethnolectal), namely to promote their sensitization and critical thinking about the social conditions of language use.
The consortium consists of three research groups (University of Western Macedonia, University of Patras, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and of two researchers from abroad (Prof. Jannis Androutsopoulos from the University of Hamburg, Germany, and Dr. Sofia Lampropoulou from the University of Lancaster, UK).
(2018-2019) Greek youth in crisis: Representations of skilled immigration in social media and pop culture (Mentoring)
“Greek youth in crisis: Representations of skilled immigration in social media and pop culture” is a 15-month research project (2018-2019) funded by the National Strategic Reference Framework Operational Programme “Education and Lifelong Learning” (Call 34: “Support researchers with emphasis on young researchers”) .
The migration of Greek people abroad is nothing new for Greece. However, since 2010, the phenomenon of migration has acquired anew an astoundingly massive character due to the ongoing economic crisis. Thousands of − mainly young − highly educated and skilled Greeks choose or/and are forced to migrate seeking better prospects and more opportunities to work, satisfactory income and recognition of their qualifications. This kind of migration is broadly known with the neologism brain drain.
Using the lenses of the sociolinguistics of computer-mediated discourse, the sociolinguistics of youth, discourse-centred online ethnography and critical discourse analysis, we aim at contributing to the understanding of the wider social, cultural and psychological impact of brain drain on Greek immigrants themselves as well as on Greek society.
(2019-2022) TRACE: Tracing racism in anti-racist discourse: A critical approach to European public speech on the migrant and refugee crisis (Member of the research group)
The eruption of the migrant and refugee crisis triggered the increase of hate and xenophobia, and led to the rise of European racist discourse against the recently arrived ‘foreigners’, a phenomenon aggravated after the recent terrorist attacks in European cities (2015-2018). In this context, contrary to most research focusing on the analysis of hegemonic racist discursive practices, the main goal of the project is to shed a critical light on the institutionalized/ official anti-racist discourse of the European public sphere, which refers to the migration and refugee crisis.
Drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis, we investigate various linguistic and other semiotic strategies through which racist values and views infiltrate discourse intended as anti-racist. Through the creation of a critical toolkit (TRACE) based on the findings of our analysis, our intention is to enhance individuals’ critical awareness so as to be able to detect racism in anti-racist discourse. In other words, our goal is to inform and sensitize the public, particularly educational and institutional bodies, on this kind of latent racism via the use of printed material, video clips, campaigns in the social media, etc
(2021-) Supporting interventions in Roma communities with the aim to prevent school drop-out in Central and Western Macedonia, Greece (Member of the research group)
The project includes educational, pedagogical, didactic, psychosocial and animating activities and actions aimed at: a) enhancing the access of Roma children to all levels of education, from kindergarten to high school, but also to encouraging young people and/ or Roma adults who have not completed compulsory education to rebuild bonds with the educational system, b) to provide psychosocial and educational support to the Roma community, c) to raise the awareness of institutions, the educational community and the wider society, d) enhance the access of adolescents and adults who have not completed compulsory education to lifelong learning and education structures, and e) create ties among the local community,the school and the family.