Multilingual encounters have been commonplace in many types of institutions, and have become an essential part of supranational institutions such as the EU since their inception. This volume explores and discusses different ways of researching the discursive dimension of these encounters, and critically examines their relevance to policy, politics and society as a whole. This includes institutions at the local, regional and supranational level.Multilingualism in institutions is currently often seen as an obstacle rather than an opportunity, at least with respect to European public and private spheres. The volume asks:- exactly how is multilingualism conceptualized and talked about in different institutions?- how do different institutions 'deal' with multilingualism, both internally and externally?- what are the policy making rules and challenges for the future for various institutions with respect to multilingualism?

Introduction: Encountering Multilingualism in Europe's Institutions, Johann W Unger, Michal Krzyzanowski and Ruth WodakPart I: Private sector institutions 2. Language management measures and their impact in companies operating in a context of linguistic diversity, Georges Lüdi (University of Basel)3. Language choice and participation management in international work meetings, Vicky Markaki, Sara Merlino, Lorenza Mondada, Florence Oloff and Véronique Traverso (ICAR Research Lab, Lyon)Part II: National and supranational (political) institutions 4. The state's instrumentalisation of linguistic diversity: Swiss multilingualism as a national profit?, Alexandre Duchêne (University of Fribourg) and Alfonso Del Percio (University of St Gallen)5. Multilingual Communication in Europe's Supranational Spaces: Developments and Challenges in European Union Institutions, Michal Krzyzanowski (Örebro University)6. The European Parliament: Multilingual Experiences in the Everyday Life of MEPs, Ruth Wodak (Lancaster University)7. Multilingual practices in the European Commission, Bernhard Forchtner (Freie Universtät Berlin)Part III: Educational institutions 8. 'It's like winning the lottery': Discourses of aspiration and distinction in the local school economy, Adrian Blackledge and Angela Creese (Birmingham University)9. The genealogy of educational change: educating to capitalise migrant students, Luisa Martín Rojo (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)10. Negotiating Multilingualism in Flemish Higher Education, Frank van Splunder (University of Antwerp)11. Building a multilingual university in institutional policies and everyday practices, Emilee Moore (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya) and Luci Nussbaum (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)Bibliography Index