The 2014 Special Issue of L2 journal, guest-edited by Katie Bernstein, Emily Hellmich, Noah Katznelson, Jaran Shin, Kimberly Vinall, will focus on Critical Perspectives on Neoliberalism in Language Education. The editors note that:

This special issue seeks to build on previous work related to globalization, language standardization, multilingual subjectivities, and linguistic imperialism, amongst other related topics. By situating these discussions within the frame of neoliberal ideologies and practices this issue seeks to critically explore the historically situated ways in which neoliberal discourse has influenced the field of language education in order to open up spaces for critical reflection and action.

Submission are invited which explore the connections between neoliberalism and language education, from either a theoretical or an empirical perspective (e.g., case studies of the effects of neoliberalism in specific contexts). A non-exhaustive list of possible questions that the papers might address includes:

• Language policy: How does neoliberalism influence language policies on a national or international level? How does this intersect with colonialism, globalization, and postcolonialism? How is English bound up with neoliberalism?
• Educational philosophy (such as competitive models): How does neoliberalism influence philosophies of education, particularly language education?
• Curriculum: How does neoliberalism structure and organize curriculum and assessment?
• Teaching and learning practices: How does neoliberalism seep into classroom practices? How does neoliberal education produce subjects? How do these processes intersect with constructions of race, class, gender, and/or sexuality?

The editors note that submissions which look into neoliberalism’s operation on multiple scales and papers which address the possibility of resistance and influence from subjects and local practices are especially welcome.

Interested authors are requested to submit a 300-word abstract to L2specialissue[at]gmail[dot]com by 28 February 2014. Notification of acceptance will be given by 30 March, and the deadline for final manuscripts is 15 August 2014.