Catalyzing change or perpetuating crisis? A SWOT analysis of the linguistic revitalization process in Peru

Rojas-Noa F.; Marino-Jiménez M.; Pareja-Lora A. · Current Issues in Language Planning (2026) · DOI: 10.1080/14664208.2026.2616562

Resumen

Peru’s constitution recognizes its multicultural identity, yet most of its 48 indigenous languages face extinction. This paper shifts from a static diagnosis of language condition to a dynamic SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the revitalization process itself–the machinery of policies and programs designed to reverse language shift. We argue the state-led apparatus is systemically failing. Strengths like a robust legal framework and grassroots digital activism are neutralized by weaknesses such as chronic budget gaps and a crisis in Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE). Opportunities from international models and economic synergies are counteracted by threats like structural discrimination and political instability. The paper proposes a strategic framework for the State, educational institutions, and the private sector to bridge the gap between top-down policy and bottom-up vitality, transforming symbolic multiculturalism into substantive intercultural citizenship and linguistic justice.

Instituciones: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola