TEHRAN – Michel DeGraff, a Haitian-born linguist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has spent three decades examining the relationship between language, power and social justice. His academic work focuses on how language can reinforce social hierarchies and systems of domination, as well as how mother tongues can become instruments of resistance and liberation. His latest book, Our Own Language: Harnessing the Power of Kreyòl and Other Mother Tongues for Education and Liberation, explores these themes through the experience of Haitian Creole and other minoritized languages.
DeGraff’s work came under controversy after he proposed an MIT course examining the role of language and linguistics in decolonization and liberation struggles in Haiti, Palestine and Israel. The university rejected the proposal in July 2024. DeGraff argues that the decision reflected political pressure and restrictions on academic freedom rather than concerns about his academic qualifications or the course’s content. He has also challenged what he describes as the marginalization of Palestinian perspectives in academic institutions and public debate.
In an interview with the Tehran Times, DeGraff discusses his experience at MIT, the political uses of language, the responsibilities of universities and the connections between linguistic hierarchies and struggles for liberation.
