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Article published In: Journal of English for Research Publication Purposes
Vol. 4:1 (2023) ► pp.80–93

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Perspectives

Knowledge flows and languages of publication

English as a bridge and a fence in international knowledge exchanges

ORCiD logo with link | Stockholm University
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Stockholm University.

Published online: 20 July 2023
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jerpp.22008.kut
Abstract
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.
Resumo
Uma grande parte dos debates em curso nas ciências humanas e sociais examinam as formas através das quais o conhecimento é percecionado e construído. O inglês destaque-se nesses debates devido ao seu estatuto como língua principal em publicações académicas. Nesta contribuição à Perspectives, discute-se como os fluxos de conhecimento e o(s) uso(s) da(s) língua(s) estão interligados, e como o inglês serve tanto como ponte quanto como cerca no contexto de trocas de conhecimento em meios internacionais. Atribui-se um foco especial às tensões em torno do inglês e do multilinguismo, bem como a variabilidade da língua inglesa – ambos dos quais são discutidos em relação a políticas linguísticas, práticas editoriais e desigualdades estruturais. Conclui-se considerando o papel das estruturas institucionais em relação a autores individuais, revisores, e editores, seguido de sugestões sobre como abordar as limitações da publicação em língua inglesa.
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
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