Abstract:
The paper targets the practices of English language take-over and resistance in international publication and the local awarding of higher degrees. Viewed as resistance, the continuing and developing of local research practices through much spoken language, in academia, produces powerful effects. In contrast, the necessity of English, as reading and occasionally as writing, operates to regulate, dilute and inform the theories and the methodologies constructing the research products. Spoken language practices such as the well attended public examining of doctoral degrees, and the promulgation of knowledge through frequent day-long seminars and intellectual chat, are usual in Northern Europe. Here English is other to the languages in use, and Anglo-American research cultures may be ignored, considered a little or highly integrated into the local productions. When what is other to English is itself sophisticated and independent, the situation is not the same as for so-called 'developing countries'. In this paper the research cultures exemplified are Nordic (from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). The researcher/presenter currently teaches Pedagogisk teori og praksis, Forskningsmetode og Vitenskapsteori.