Edit Bugge

Professor Edit Bugge is a sociolinguist at the University of Bergen's Department of Language, Literature, Mathematics and Interpreting, leading the IMPECT research project (2021-2025) funded by the Norwegian Research Council. Her work focuses on language variation/change, citizenship language requirements, and adult second language acquisition, particularly among low-literate migrants. She has managed projects examining Faroese dialect attitudes, Norwegian orthographic reforms, and multilingual early childhood education. Prof. Bugge teaches courses on Norwegian language teaching, sociolinguistics, and research methodology, including courses like UVN801 (Teaching Adult Immigrants Norwegian) and MPUV505 (Educational Research in Practice). Her research bridges linguistic theory with policy, addressing societal impacts of language testing and migration policies.

Her research spans sociolinguistic fieldwork in Norway, the Faroe Islands, and South Africa, exploring topics like dialect perception (e.g., Faroese and Shetlandic), language reform implementation (e.g., the Norwegian pronoun 'hen'), and literacy development in marginalized groups. Bugge's interdisciplinary approach combines ethnography, corpus linguistics, and policy analysis to address issues of language as a tool for inclusion/exclusion. Key contributions include scoping reviews of LESLLA research (low-educated second language learners) and critical analyses of citizenship language policies.

Recent work highlights migrants' narratives of navigating legal integration systems, revealing systemic barriers faced by low-literacy groups. Her publications span academic journals (e.g., Journal of Sociolinguistics, British Journal of Sociology of Education) and edited volumes on language education and policy. Bugge actively participates in national/international conferences, delivering keynote addresses on topics like early childhood language socialization and the hidden costs of migration-related linguistic testing.