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Linguistic Anthropology in 2008: An Election‐Cycle Guide
Author(s) -
Faudree Paja
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1111/j.1548-1433.2009.01108.x
Subject(s) - linguistic anthropology , discipline , sociology , field (mathematics) , linguistics , politics , ideology , sociocultural anthropology , semiotics , anthropology , applied anthropology , social science , intersection (aeronautics) , epistemology , political science , law , geography , philosophy , mathematics , pure mathematics , cartography
Loosely following the structure of the U.S. election cycle, I identify some of the more important institutions and events that have recently served as venues for field‐building scholarly practices and processes in linguistic anthropology. I examine various trends and concerns animating recent publications on language and social life. I discuss the ongoing impact on the field of recent major works that attempt to codify methodological and theoretical approaches to the intersection of language and society. I also consider some of linguistic anthropology's emergent ventures, including new collaborative projects and new proposals for interdisciplinary work. Finally, I discuss some of the political implications of academic specialization, disciplinary boundaries, and impending “generational shift,” both in the subdiscipline and the academy generally. I close by raising questions about future directions and possibilities for research in linguistic anthropology and other interdisciplinary enterprises. [Keywords: linguistic anthropology, interdisciplinarity, linguistic ideology, semiotic practices, linguistic variation]