When are research journals linguistically indifferent?

In the realm of research production, there is often a strange mismatch between linguistic care with which scholars analyze cultural products (literary works and beyond) indifference to language so-called scholarly or academic writing. What would it look like bring same attention practices, instructions, habits publishing, peer-reviewing, editing that many us seek our research? what follows, I invite readers re-examine accepted prescriptions in writing light critiques from such as Jonathan Rosa who have drawn raciolinguistic racist ideologies undergird norms for published prose. These considerations initially emerged several years ago my colleague undertook revise stylesheet journal Monatshefte after taking over editorship. Focused on we took be merely mechanical matters, discovered, first, no mereness about practices and, second, efforts provide guidance writers identity inclusiveness quickly ran into difficulties. appeared particularly questions naming citation approaches harmful language, style. The politics broadly speaking are not neutral. Sara Ahmed discusses within her examination white supremacist relational asks consider cited where by whom remains circumscribed hierarchies academia: “Citationality another form relationality. […] White men cite other men: they always done; will do; teach each do when other.” (My co-editor added question peer review asking reviewers whether author has included relevant work people color women all races. Most leave blank note only.) Within citation, seems deceptively simple: A linguistically indifferent approach assumes names remain stably attached individuals across timespan careers. This assumption name stands person one way “is process disembodies knowledge” (Thieme Saunders 89). But does hold take different through marriages (or end marriages) trans gender non-conforming authors. Trans authors change their face continue circulation past dead instead undergo invasive potentially traumatizing requesting changed previous publications. Academic can assume cohesion because established them whom—the (implicitly cisgender) “white men” Ahmed's blog post title. Taking non-indifferent position entail interrogating only but also identification instability naming. Beyond matter reproducing language—even quotations otherwise at distance. Challenging here entails terms editors should ask modify—when why? words unacceptable whom? Surely appropriate an editor (especially, case, cisgender able-bodied editor) demand declare identities, order say “right” word? (Though, equally surely, important working topics arises clear own positionalities limitations.) Furthermore, how much word remove? replacing single letter asterisk defang centuries racist, homophobic, sexist violence—but then, why three asterisks four adequate? Are modifications indicate presence harm critique mitigate effectively, strikethroughs? lines questioning suggest any universal policy risks silencing minoritized fully remove possibility completely convey author's intention. substantial body effects transphobic, misogynist those targeted; reflect identities positionalities; explain reasons choosing practice, might help cultivate attentive habitus toward language. Finally, “style.” give specific direction diction, sentence complexity, use personal impersonal features associated writing, comment infrequently style articles read—sometimes being too impenetrable, dense, convoluted, times informal, personal, colloquial. Guided Nelson Flores's notes “academic list empirical rather ideology frames home racialized communities inherently deficient” (Flores 24), ways socialization codifies indifference. First, although fewer refuse first-person pronouns texts, idea texts ought separable positions irrelevant prevalent—that is, arguments evidence universal. As Charles W. Mills Maisha Auma Toni Morrison Arnold Farr note, primary contemporary disciplines discourses enforce erasing race whiteness, insisting “universality” fact, (e.g., see et al. 11; 50; 128; 46). Moreover, some speakers forced particularized tied identities; indeed entire collection Who Can Speak Heard/Hurt: Facing Problems Race, Racism, Ethnic Diversity Humanities Germany grapples whose voices appear, become silenced, marginalized occupy Arghavan 9−42). And itself, Kyle Frackman Ervin Malakaj outlined heteronormative temporalities spaces suppress queer relations time space—as do, suggest, argumentative structures narrative (Frackman 356−58). theoretical turn up reviewing quite concrete ways. For example, reviewer once complained “revealed” writer non-native speaker wrote in; section responded appeal Monatshefte's international readership authorship, both grounds acceptable idiosyncrasy stylistic variety (“um die Zeitschrift stilistisch etwas abwechslungsreicher zu gestalten“). Moving level article unit discourse, German American Germanistik various (sub-) disciplines, operate codes Monatshefte’s download log shows United States, Germany, Kingdom, China, Canada, Austria, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, India, Israel, “Other.” How acknowledge implement communicate effectively desired audiences? Several English recent requested include translations interest communicating beyond studies. Does including reinforce hegemony challenge insularity Germanistik? avoid closing off interested deciding advance going read it? challenging production may less regulation than invitation—inviting themselves least asked above reviewing, editing. Further, following metaphor invitation suggests antidote non-indifference (which easily prescriptive) hospitality. Although inhabiting hospitality surely destabilizing—not its clash consideration conversation requires pressures labor—it move journals studies general more generous flexible deliberately activates disrupts communicative expectations, capacious notions disciplinary boundaries, attentiveness speaking. Thanks edited this piece (David Gramling, Chantelle Warner, Karin Schutjer Hester Baer) enacting editorial My thinking prose deeply influenced reading group held collective Diversity, Decolonization, Curriculum summer 2021 topic diaspora read—Christina Sharpe’s Wake: On Blackness Being, Tiffany Florvil’s Mobilizing Black Germany: Afro-German Women Making Transnational Movement, Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vásquez’s Decolonizing Diasporas: Radical Mappings Afro-Atlantic Literature—deliberately offer principles style, urge modes (white supremacist) uncoupling am grateful members especially facilitators, Krsna Santos, Adrienne Merritt, Malakaj, discussions refusal looks academics practice scholarship. reflection was written stolen Ho-Chunk land.