Knowledge flows and languages of publication: English as a bridge and a fence in international knowledge exchanges

Kuteeva, Maria

doi:10.1075/jerpp.22008.kut

Article published In:

Journal of English for Research Publication Purposes
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

Maria Kuteeva | Stockholm University

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.

Keywords: academic publishing, multilingualism, academic journals, peer review, editorial practices

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.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 20 July 2023

https://doi.org/10.1075/jerpp.22008.kut

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