A Meta-Analysis of the Correlation Between Heritage Language and Ethnic Identity by Mu (2015)

Mu, G. M. (2015). A meta-analysis of the correlation between heritage language and ethnic identity. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 36, 239-254. doi:10.1080/01434632.2014.909446

            In his expansive yet critical paper, Mu intervened to the gap in research justifying cross-ethnic claims between ethnic identity and heritage language (HL) proficiency (p. 240). He employed meta-analysis, an advanced statistics for contrasting and combining quantitative studies (p. 241), and treated 18 articles that had successfully met the selection criteria (p. 242). Component models of this analysis (pp. 246-247) revealed that there is a medium positive correlation in the differences of the included studies and significant correlation of ethnic identity and HL proficiency across different ethnic groups (p. 248).

            This instrumentation of analysis, however, has its own limitations. Methodological variations in sampling across the analyzed studies raised a concern (p. 248). Collectively, convenience sampling is administered but the participants of the study are the differential, i.e. strong proportions of children, adolescents, and young adults. Parental intervention and multi-ethnicities are notable considerations altogether (p. 249). Furthermore, the studies’ operationalization, i.e., adapted frameworks, measurement, i.e., self-reported results and instrumentation, and localization, i.e., spatial diversities, have been discussed as deeply felt consideration for future research (pp. 249-250). Mu also raised the development of the studies’ theoretical bases. He urged working on mainstreaming as a response to theoretical overlaps (p. 250). He personally proposed Bourdieu’s “sociological notion of habitus” to harmonize concurrent approaches in ethnic identity and HL research (p. 251).

            Mu can be commended with his attempt to ‘standardize’ the results of the studies. Yet, his attempt to arrive at a transcending standard authority affirming the correlation of ethnic identity and HL use is in itself must be reconsidered, e.g., for weighted sample sizes. Gladly, this was mentioned before resting the paper’s case (pp. 250-251).