Mapping multilingualism: The dynamics of identity shifts in multi-ethnic tourism destinations

A research article co-authored by CTR Researcher, Dr. Mohamed Elbarbary, has been published in the international journal, International Journal of Multilingualism.

 

 

 

Title

Mapping multilingualism: The dynamics of identity shifts in multi-ethnic tourism destinations

 

Authors

Mohamed N. El-Barbary, Center for Tourism Research, Wakayama University, Wakayama, Japan

Mariko Ikeda, Faculty of Art and Design, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

Ahmad Mohammed, Department of Archaeology, Durham University, Durham, UK

 

Source

International Journal of Multilingualism, 1–19

https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2026.2630269

* Indexed in Scopus

Journal details: https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/5800207756

 

Abstract

This empirical study investigates identity shifts in multiethnic tourism destinations from a sociolinguistic perspective, focusing on changes in the socio-spatial distribution of commodified linguistic landscapes (LL) in Berlin’s Neukölln and Tokyo’s Shin-Ōkubo. Using mixed methods – photographic documentation, content analysis, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, and semi-structured interviews – the study finds that Neukölln’s central street, Sonnenallee, is gradually shifting from ‘Turkish Street’ to ‘Arab Street’ due to an increase in spatially cohesive LL. In Shin-Ōkubo, a rise in Chinese LL challenges its historic ‘Koreatown’ status, though the emergence of a ‘Chinatown’ is limited by the lack of spatial cohesion and competition from other languages. The study concludes that the extent of the spatial cohesion of LL and ethnic ties underlies urban identity shifts in multiethnic destinations across different regions and cultures. Thus, regular LL assessments are vital to understand the dynamics of evolving ethnic groups and their identities at such destinations.

 

Keywords

Linguistic landscape, Tourism multiethnicity, Commodification, GIS, Tokyo, Berlin