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Dear Professor Eastwood,<br>
<br>
I won't be the only one writing you and reacting with great concern to
the decision to close down Linguistics at the University of East Anglia
(UEA). <br>
<br>
Like many others, I can only point at the long and unique tradition of
linguistics at UEA, made famous internationally by the work of the late
Professor Roger Fowler and his -- now also famous -- students, such as
those contributing to the widely cited book <i>Language and Control</i>,
of 1979, which for most of us was the main stimulus to engage in social
and political, critical linguistics and discourse analysis. Prof.
Fowler in his work not only established links between linguistics and
literature, but more broadly contributed to the foundation of modern
discourse studies, e.g., with his studies of narrative, news and
ideology. <br>
<br>
Then, when his chair became vacant, UEA was lucky to be able to hire
another major English linguist of international renown, Prof. Paul
Chilton. I think it is more than strange that so shortly after his
taking this new position, and leaving his prior one, he would be
confronted with the closing down of a department whose fame and
tradition motivated him to go to UEA in the first place. <br>
<br>
In my opinion it is highly unfortunate, whatever the financial or other
reasons might be, that a department with such a rich tradition and with
such an eminent scholar as its leader, should suddenly cease to exist.
This is not only intolerable because of the eminence of his chair
holder, but for the very field of linguistics itself. A university
without a dept. of linguistics is academically incomplete, and this
will be a lack of a theoretical and general foundation not only for the
study of modern and classical languages, but more generally for the
study of communication, the humanities and the social sciences. <br>
<br>
There is no doubt that especially the broad conception of linguistics
as practiced by Fowler and now by Chilton, has contributed
significantly and internationally to the relevance of modern
linguistics and discourse analysis for the study of social issues.
Indeed, prof. Chilton's famous work on political discourse is not just
internationally prominent in its field, but has led the way for many
other scholars in linguistics and the social sciences. <br>
<br>
The prominence of the chair of linguistics at UEA is also emphasized by
the current Leverhulme guest-professorship of internationally eminent
scholar Prof. Ruth Wodak. This means that the dept. of linguistics,
and in particular Prof. Chilton, are able to attract scholars of renown
to the UEA, and that I was able to personally recommend the Leverhulme
Trust to concede this scholarship to the UEA. <br>
<br>
Last but not least, I hardly need to point out that not only for prof.
Chilton but for all members of the dept of Linguistics this will mean
that they unexpectedly need to find another job -- despite their
excellent work. It seems a fundamental principle of social justice that
one does not treat academic or <i>any</i> personnel in this way.
Indeed, future applicants to jobs at UEA might want to think twice
before accepting an appointment, given the apparent lack of continuity
and reliability of its hiring policies. <br>
<br>
For these and many other reasons, closing down the department, and
Prof. Chilton's leaving EAU, will be a major academic catastrophe for
the University of East Anglia. <br>
<br>
I would therefore want to urge you to do everything in your power to
keep the dept. of Linguistics at UEA open so that it may continue the
rich tradition that has contributed to the advancement of linguistics
and discourse studies worldwide, and thus to the international
reputation of your university. <br>
<br>
Sincerely<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Teun A. van Dijk<br>
Professor of Discourse Studies<br>
University of Amsterdam<br>
and<br>
Universitat Pompeu Fabra<br>
Departament de Traducció i Filologia<br>
Rambla 30<br>
08002 Barcelona<br>
España<br>
<br>
E-mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:teun@discourse-in-society.org">teun@discourse-in-society.org</a> <br>
Internet: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.discourse-in-society.org">www.discourse-in-society.org</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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