English for Academic Purposes. Perspectives on the Past, Present and Future

Since its initial emergence in the 1970s as a relatively restricted sub-set of the much larger discipline English for Specific Purposes (ESP), the field of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) has undeniably gone from strength to strength. It now boasts its own dedicated journals, its own conferences, its own professional organizations, its own discipline-specific meta-language and its own accreditation schemes and recognized guidelines for best practice.

All of these achievements have happened within a timespan of less than sixty years, which means that when considering EAP from an historical standpoint, mapping its developmental trajectory is still a reasonably manageable task. The modest aim of this book is an attempt to do just that, presenting a range of critical perspectives not only on EAP’s past, but also on its present and its future.