Abstract:
The choice of language for publishing is a topic of particular significance
for scholars of languages other than English (LOTE) due to the importance
of publishing in the professional language for maintaining expertise in the
written academic register of the respective language. While the
multilingual ability of such scholars means they can potentially publish
in multiple languages (i.e. their first language, the professional language
and English), the limited market for publications in LOTE greatly
diminishes such opportunities and restricts career development.
Informed by Bourdieu’s theory of practice and Brofenbrenner’s
ecological systems theory, we explore factors that influence the choice
of language for publishing among 53 Chinese academics (scholars of
Russian, Japanese or Korean), and how these academics navigate the
challenges of publishing in their professional language. With fieldwork
conducted at 10 universities across five regions, we identify regional
specificities that contribute to greater inclusiveness with regard to the
status of LOTEs in academic careers. Further, we identify the productive
disruptive role of returned graduates (with doctorates completed
abroad) in improving the institutional ranking of journals which publish
in LOTEs. Finally, we underscore the importance of protecting the
investment in sophisticated linguistic proficiency attained by scholars of
foreign languages.