Muhammad Ali Khan, January, 2011, Karachi, Pakistan

I feel it was yesterday when my research project was awarded the prestigious ALMA award by Professor Ingrid Piller and Dr. Kimie Takahashi. Here I am reflecting  what difference this award has made to my scholarly pursuits, whether it has really helped me take my writing skills to a higher level and if  ‘yes,’ then how. One way of answering these questions might be the fact that it has offered me the opportunity to read fresh works, insightful analysis of the scholars who regularly contribute from across different parts of the world. Also the fact that I was able to publish my writings on the website which indeed gave me a sense of achievement – but, there are certain things that no one knows except the self. The other way of answering the questions is the interior monologue, which I would like to share with you today.

To be honest  I was a ‘he said, she said’ writer, i.e. one who would try to impress readers by quoting the works of well-known scholars, never daring to think beyond their writings, quoting their works almost in awe and taking their works as final, absolute and universal. In other words I didn’t exist in my own writing. I would easily compromise my voice in my text. Language on the Move has actually brought my voice to the forefront in my own texts while acknowledging the relevant works of others. It has given me the confidence to maintain my identity in my writing. I began to see academic writing as a party hosted by me where I act as a host respecting and talking to all the guests but the party remains essentially mine where I decide who the relevant guests for the party are.

How has ALMA helped in this conceptualizing? It is probably through reading, reflecting and writing with a human touch. What I mean by human touch here is the fact that whatever you read and write gets immediately responded to by scholars from other parts of the world. You don’t have to wait for long to see what others think of your work. And comments on your writing actually help you think more clearly and deeply about your projects.

If I were to write the sum total of my experience with Language on the Move, I would say that it has given me the confidence in my scholarly purists, my voice in my texts and the courage to ask questions while reading the texts written my acclaimed writers in the field.