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Article published In:
Linguistic Landscape
Vol. 7:1 (2021) ► pp.60–85

Sitting on the fence

A geosemiotic analysis of school perimeters

Analysis of the Linguistic Landscape of schools has by and large concentrated on that in classrooms rather than that mounted on their boundaries, on their perimeter architecture. In the last decade, this architecture has become a rich site for semiotic expression, where schools project not just their own brand but also that of enterprises that sponsor and support them. Following an extensive analysis of the advertisements, signs, and banners around schools located in the inner-west of Sydney, Australia, this paper argues that their presence is emblematic of the neo-liberalist imperatives that now impel education and that is evident in the need for government schools to bolster their income streams and student enrolments. Hence comes the pressure for schools to advertise their qualities and attraction to their communities using a range of semiotic devices, including electronic message boards.

Keywords: schoolscapes, geosemiotics, digital signage, educational commercialism, neo-liberalism
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.A brief excursus on policy
  • 3.Method of investigation
  • 4.Remote control
  • 5.Border crossings
  • 6.Noticing schools
  • 7.On and off the rails
  • 8.Not sitting on the fence
  • 9.Discussion and conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 21 December 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.19024.sym
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