The hegemony of English in academic

The hegemony of English in academic research brings with it a number of important benefits. Without it, the rapid dissemination of human knowledge, which is now a commonplace, would not have been possible. Dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge has the capacity to bring with it progress in education, health, and social welfare, as well as very significant material benefits on a world wide scale. In addition, English, as a common lingua franca, has the potential to create cross-cultural understanding and the peaceful coexistence of peoples and nations. On the other hand, however, the predominance of English has its negative aspects. As writers, such as Phillipson (1992) and Pennycook (1994), have warned, English carries with it a lot of ideological baggage. The language never can be separated from the contexts in which it is used, these writers argue, transmitting ideology, with, in, and through itself(Phillipson, 1992, p. 1), devaluing local languages and culture, and perpetuating inequalities between native and