Discourses of Disruption in Asia: Creating and Contesting Meaning in the Time of COVID-19

Discourses of Disruption in Asia: Creating and Contesting Meaning in the Time of COVID-19 makes a unique contribution to research on meaning making in times of crisis. Using diverse analytical approaches to the study of languages in societies from the Asia-Pacific region, this volume explores the struggles over national identity and manifestations of socio-political issues in the context of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each chapter interrogates how social actors in diverse communities across the Asia-Pacific region draw on discursive resources to address communication issues, particularly in relation to minoritized groups, claims for accountability, solidarity formation, national identities, government policy announcements, translation, and the efficacy of health-related discourses. This volume will be of interest to students and researchers in fields such as Language and Gender, Linguistic Anthropology, Sociolinguistics, Translation Studies, Social Semiotics, Media Studies, Political Science, Public Health, and Asian Studies.

Ikuko Nakane is Associate Professor in Japanese at the University of Melbourne. Her research interests include sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, multilingualism, and legal discourse. Her work primarily focuses on negotiation of power and solidarity in institutional discourse. Her articles have appeared in journals such as Journal of Pragmatics, Semiotica, and Multilingua.

Claire Maree is Professor in Japanese, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. A queer theorist and linguist, Claire Maree mobilises linguistic and cultural studies methodologies to examine language, identity, and the media. Claire’s work has been foundational to the establishment of Japanese language, gender, and sexuality studies.

Michael C. Ewing is Associate Professor in Indonesian Studies, University of Melbourne. Michael’s research interests include interactional linguistics and linguistic anthropology, with a focus on the languages of Indonesia. His current work involves the youth language and the nexus between standard and colloquial modes of grammatical organisation in everyday conversation.