Standard Written Academic English: A Critical Appraisal
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Abstract
Science today is mainly communicated through standard written academic English (SWAE). In this paper, I apply the postulations of Gramsci, Bourdieu and Canagarajah to show how domination structures are reproduced in scientific communication worldwide. I argue that these structures do not allow nondominant epistemologies and ways of producing and communicating science to participate in the international arena. I apply a critical lens to interpret each one of the terms present in SWAE. I propose that a critical appraisal of each one of these terms is the first step towards a more democratic conceptualization of science communication where the standards are not only seen as a means of innocuous communication but also as ideologically charged fictitious universals. It is my claim that understanding the arbitrary nature of these universals and the influence that language has on knowledge construction will give space to nondominant ways of producing and communicating knowledge.
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