English as the lingua franca of academic publishing in Tunisia

Abstract This study discusses the debate on the use of English as the lingua franca of science in Tunisia. It examines the values ascribed to English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP) and how publishing in English compares to publishing in French, the default vehicle for research in Tunisia. It explores the factors that motivate Tunisian scholars to publish in English journals, the linguistic challenges they meet, and the alternate strategies they employ to mitigate the situation. It also questions the neutrality and ideological detachment of English as the vehicular language for academic publishing. The findings indicate that Tunisian academics have a fairly positive attitude towards the use of English for research publication. What is evident is that the formative years of education did not prepare Tunisian academics to publish in English. One salient implication from this research is the need for ERPP courses to meet the burgeoning needs for English.