Dr Jonathan Kasstan

Dr Jonathan Kasstan


I was appointed as Lecturer in French and Linguistics at the University of Westminster in January 2019. Before arriving at Westminster, I lectured at Queen Mary University of London (2015-2018), predominantly in quantitative and qualitative sociolinguistics and research methods. From 2014-2015, I held two posts simultaneously: I was Associate Lecturer in the Department of French at the University of Kent, where I taught introductory linguistic theory and sociolinguistics, and I also held the post of Maître de langue in the Département du monde anglophone at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3, where I taught courses in applied phonology and linguistic variation. I hold an MPhil in Linguistics from Cambridge University and a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Kent.


My research interests broadly fall within quantitative and qualitative sociolinguistics, with a particular focus on language variation and change in lesser-studied varieties. I also conduct research on heritage languages. 

I am currently involved in a number of ongoing research projects, including:

Towards safeguarding Chagossian Creole: Understanding how language attitudes and ideologies shape practice in exile and exodus (funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, SRG2324\240017)

Universals of Linguistic Change in Language Obsolescence (previously funded by the Leverhulme Trust, ECF-2017-584, 2017-2020)

The Linguistics in MFL Project (previously funded by UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council's Open World Research Initiative "Language Acts World Making"). 

I also co-lead the network Rethinking Research Ethics in the Humanities (previously funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council, AH/V001043/1).


  • Homelands
  • English Language and Linguistics

In brief

Research areas

Sociolinguistics, Language variation and change, Language contact, Language endangerment and Phonetics and phonology

Supervision interests

Sociolinguistics, Sociophonetics, Language variation and change, Language contact, Language endangerment, Language policy and planning and Language documentation and description
Awards
Early Career Fellowship

Leverhulme Trust