Trilingual education in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region: Challenges and threats for Mongolian identity

Multilingualism is a growing trend globally, as local languages are complemented by national, regional, and international languages in education systems. Without careful sustenance, local identity can suffer under the hegemony of powerful languages and cultures. This chapter analyses the models of trilingual education implemented in three primary schools in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region (IMAR) in the People's Republic of China. These schools aim to maintain the linguistic heritage of the Mongolians while preparing students to participate in the social, economic, and political activities of the country through Chinese and English. The chapter uses a southern knowledge perspective to identify the factors influencing the choice of models of trilingual education in the schools and the challenges for the sustainability of the Mongolian language and identity. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s).