Article published In:
Journal of English for Research Publication PurposesVol. 4:1 (2023) ► pp.80–93
Vol. 4:1 (2023) ► pp.80–93
Perspectives
Knowledge flows and languages of publication
English as a bridge and a fence in international knowledge exchanges
Ongoing debates in the humanities and social sciences concern different ways in which knowledge is viewed and constructed. As the main language of academic publication, English features prominently in these debates. In this Perspectives piece, I discuss how knowledge flows and language uses are intertwined, and how English serves both as a bridge and a fence in the context of international knowledge exchanges. In particular, the tensions around English and multilingualism, as well as variability within English, are discussed in connection with language policies, editorial practices, and structural inequalities. I conclude by considering the role of institutional structures vis-à-vis individual authors, peer reviewers, and editors, and offer a few suggestions on how to address the limitations of centripetal English-medium publishing.
Article outline
- 1.English as a bridge and a fence: Introduction
- 2.Tensions between English and multilingualism in research publication
- 3.Addressing the limitations of English-medium publishing: Authors, reviewers, editors
- Acknowledgements
-
References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.
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