María Luz Esteban Saiz

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María Luz Esteban Saiz is a Spanish sociolinguist and Deaf activist who became the first person in Galicia to defend a doctoral thesis entirely in Spanish Sign Language (LSE) at the University of Vigo in 2025. She directs the Centre for the Language Normalization of the Spanish Sign Language (CNLSE), where she promotes linguistic rights and empowerment of the Deaf community in Spain.

Quick Facts

María Luz Esteban Saiz

Photo licensing: farodevigo.es

Status	Active
Personal Information
Other Names	Mariluz Esteban
Sign Name	Signos Excepcionales
Birth Date	1972
Birth Place	Spain
Residence	Spain
Academic Background
h-index (GS)	4
h-index (Sc)	0
Fields	Sociolinguistics
Affiliation	Centre for the Language Normalization of the Spanish Sign Language
Thesis Title	Language policy and planning for Spanish Sign Language (LSE) from 1980 to the present: a critical ethnographic analysis from a social justice framework
Thesis Year	2025
Th Download	University of Vigo
Academic Profiles
ORCID iD	58142435300
Scopus	58142435300
Google Scholar	8q7a5kEAAAAJ
ResearchGate	Luz_Esteban
Academia	LuzEstebanSaiz

(GS) = Google Scholar | (Sc) = Scopus

Academic Career

Esteban Saiz has been director of the Centre for the Language Normalization of the Spanish Sign Language (CNLSE) since 2011. In this role, she leads efforts to promote and normalize the use of Spanish Sign Language in education, media, and public services. Her leadership has contributed significantly to enhancing the visibility and rights of the Deaf community within Spain^[2].

Research Focus

Her doctoral thesis, titled Política y planificación lingüísticas de la lengua de signos española (LSE) desde 1980 hasta la actualidad: un análisis etnográfico crítico desde un marco de justicia social (Language policy and planning for Spanish Sign Language (LSE) from 1980 to the present: a critical ethnographic analysis from a social justice framework), offers an in-depth ethnographic study of LSE language policies. Using participant observation and interviews with members of the Deaf community, Esteban Saiz examines the ideological and political challenges faced in achieving linguistic justice and social inclusion^[1].

Impact

Esteban Saiz's research and advocacy have had a profound impact on language policy regarding Spanish Sign Language. Her work sheds light on the sociopolitical forces shaping LSE recognition and planning, advancing social justice for Deaf people^[3][4].

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1. Esteban Saiz, M. L. (2025). Política y planificación lingüísticas de la lengua de signos española (LSE) desde 1980 hasta la actualidad: un análisis etnográfico crítico desde un marco de justicia social [Doctoral thesis].
2. La Voz de Galicia. (2025, July 21). Una lingüista defiende por primera vez en Galicia una tesis en lengua de signos.
3. Faro de Vigo. (2025, July 21). Una conquista colectiva para la comunidad sorda.
4. Academia.edu. (n.d.). María Luz Esteban Saiz – Academic profile.