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Options in the (Semi-)Periphery: A Review of Multilingual Scholars’ Choices of Topics, Methodologies, and Theories in Research and Publishing

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  • Xiatinghan Xu

    (Warner School of Education and Human Development, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA)

Abstract

In most global contexts, academic publishing plays an essential part of scholars’ professional lives. For multilingual scholars, who may use multiple languages and publish for different communities, publishing can entail making a range of important choices. To date, while there has been a substantial amount of research on multilingual scholars’ choices of language and genre, little has focused on their choices of topics, methodologies, and theories, which are also important aspects of their research and publishing practices. In this review article, I explore specifically what the extant research has found about why multilingual scholars make particular choices of topics, methodologies, and theories outside of Anglophone contexts. Reviewing research published between 2004 and 2023, I found that overall, scholars’ choices in such aspects are motivated by their desire for professional success and their aims of making academic and social contributions. Also, their choices can be further complicated by various sociopolitical factors. I argue that the current strand of research mainly focuses on the neoliberal contexts of publishing and the effects of Anglophone academia on global knowledge production, whereas the practices of multilingual scholars outside the Anglosphere can be also affected by many other factors that have received less attention.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiatinghan Xu, 2023. "Options in the (Semi-)Periphery: A Review of Multilingual Scholars’ Choices of Topics, Methodologies, and Theories in Research and Publishing," Publications, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-21, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:11:y:2023:i:4:p:50-:d:1284679
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vivek Kumar Singh & Prashasti Singh & Ashraf Uddin & Parveen Arora & Sujit Bhattacharya, 2022. "Exploring the relationship between journals indexed from a country and its research output: an empirical investigation," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(6), pages 2933-2966, June.
    2. Daniel Stockemer & Michael J. Wigginton, 2019. "Publishing in English or another language: An inclusive study of scholar’s language publication preferences in the natural, social and interdisciplinary sciences," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 118(2), pages 645-652, February.
    3. Mary Jane Curry & Theresa Lillis, 2019. "Unpacking the Lore on Multilingual Scholars Publishing in English: A Discussion Paper," Publications, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-14, April.
    4. Albayrak-Aydemir, Nihan & Gleibs, Ilka Helene, 2023. "A social-psychological examination of academic precarity as an organizational practice and subjective experience," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 117269, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Olga Solovova & Joana Vieira Santos & Joaquim Veríssimo, 2018. "Publish in English or Perish in Portuguese: Struggles and Constraints on the Semiperiphery," Publications, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, June.
    6. Meng Ge, 2015. "English Writing for International Publication in the Age of Globalization: Practices and Perceptions of Mainland Chinese Academics in the Humanities and Social Sciences," Publications, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-22, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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