A systematic review of family language policy studies from 2008 to 2024

As an interdisciplinary field involving language policy, language socialization, and literacy studies, family language policy (FLP) has received growing research attention. This study synthesized the major theoretical perspectives and methodological characteristics of FLP empirical research and the range of research foci and highlighted possible avenues for future research. An in-depth analysis combining quantitative and qualitative approaches was conducted on 411 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2008 and 2024. The results show that the definition of FLP has evolved, and the scope of empirical studies has expanded to cover heritage language maintenance, children's bi/multilingual development, child agency in the dynamic system of family, and technology-mediated FLP. We also conclude that the research evidence to date is still insufficient to address the relationship between FLP and parents’ socioeconomic status and the complexity of digital media. To move forward, the field of FLP requires better alignment with translanguaging theories. Copyright © 2025 The Author(s).