‘Book reviews are often considered as marginal, a luxury, an indulgence, and a waste of time. Certainly, of little value to the ambitious academic wishing to notch up citations. Book reviews are also, quite often, dull and formulaic, utterly predictable in terms of moves, endorsements and mild critique. However, I would like to make the case that reviewing books and articles doesn’t have to be like this and nor should it. Especially for practitioners, who suffer from considerable disadvantages in cultural capital compared to researchers, it is important to create a space to respond to published orthodoxies (and novelties) affecting the field of EAP. It is also important, in a period of intense performative production of texts, to reassert the value of reading and the value of sharing readings. Book and article reviewing also raises ethical questions about public judgments and evaluations that are far from simple. My talk and discussions will explore all these points.’
The deadline for registration 17:00 on Wednesday 15th November. You will be sent a link the day before the event.