The role of modern language teachers/researchers in the academic community: A cultural view
The role of modern language teachers/researchers in the academic community: A cultural view

Summary/Abstract: This paper sets out to examine the role assumed by modern language teachers and researchers viewed as a particular academic culture existing within the larger context of the university community. The theoretical framework employed to this end takes its point of departure in the notion of disciplinary culture and ways of distinguishing between different cultures as they are conceived of by Becher & Trowler (2001). Accordingly, features of modern languages as a disciplinary culture are examined including the part played by ML academics as reflected in the views of ML academics themselves, their colleagues from other departments as well as non-academics based on findings from the literature and the author’s own observations. One of the conclusions reached is that the diversity of the ML disciplinary culture is often misperceived and minimized when viewed from the outside which has consequences on the part played by ML academics within university and society. Another conclusion, which has implications for higher education in general, is that the values as well as the intercultural expertise contributed by ML departments have important functions in the development of the academic culture of a university.

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