Theorizing the Value of English Proficiency in Cross-Cultural Rhetorics of Health and Medicine

Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2017

Theorizing the Value of English Proficiency in Cross-Cultural Rhetorics of Health and Medicine

Amy Koerber Texas Tech University ; Hilary Graham Texas Tech University

Abstract

This study reports the results of 12 recent interviews with nonnative-English-speaking (NNES) authors who have conducted research and written articles on health and medical subjects. Analyzing the interview transcripts through the theoretical lens of Pierre Bourdieu’s forms of capital, this study expands on previous research by offering a more precise and theoretically grounded understanding of how NNES authors perceive the value of English proficiency in relation to their success as scientific researchers. This theorization of the varying ways in which authors perceive the value of English proficiency affords new perspectives on the inequities that NNES authors encounter in the global publishing economy and their rhetorical strategies for overcoming these inequities. The study concludes by reflecting on theoretical and practical implications for researchers, teachers, and other stakeholders in the global publishing industry.

Journal: Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published: 2017-01-01
DOI: 10.1177/1050651916667533
Open Access: Closed
Topics: multilingual writers

Citation Context

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