Can Frisian Cure? The Role of Frisian Language Policy and Education in Migrant Healthcare Professionals’ Integration in Fryslân

Focusing on healthcare and migrant professionals, this chapter explores self-reported language beliefs and practices regarding Frisian, a minority language spoken in the officially bilingual province of Fryslân, the Netherlands. The authors critically assess these beliefs and practices to identify alignments and misalignments with top-down language management attempts, emphasising the need for a social justice agenda that aims to improve Frisian language education for migrant healthcare professionals to facilitate their social integration, and improve care for Frisian-speaking patients. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with healthcare practitioners/managers (n = 15) and educators (n = 9), and questionnaires completed by healthcare managers (n = 20), educators (n = 9), and migrant professionals (n = 16). Findings indicate that healthcare professionals perceive a lack of de jure language policies for Frisian in healthcare, with only receptive language skills considered beneficial for migrant professionals. Migrants generally hold negative views on Frisian in healthcare and express limited interest in learning the language. The authors propose implementing prestige planning measures to foster more positive attitudes towards Frisian among (migrant) healthcare professionals. This would create a foundation for sustainable and effective language acquisition measures, empowering migrants to learn Frisian and, importantly, enhancing their social integration.