The need for diverse communication styles

As a community we represent a wide diversity of backgrounds, each with eccentricities in accent, mannerisms and word choice. Despite this, scientists still feel the need to alter their accent, change their word choices or generally hide their unique perspective, a process which is commonly entirely subconscious. They are conforming with academic hegemony, the concept that academics commonly communicate with a single voice that represents the vocabulary, tone and thought processes of the dominant group within academia – traditionally, white middle-class men. The hegemonic voice can sometimes be presented as a technically correct form of speech, but in reality there is no one single ‘correct’ way of speaking. Each perspective brings its own nuances, which, as long as it is clear and understood, adds variety, and for myself, a source of enjoyment in communicating science with a diverse set of learners or peers.

A rigid ideal of what comprises correct communication only causes policing of language, which directly enforces ableist, racist and classist stereotypes relating to intelligence, or how valuable someone’s opinion is. To avoid being dismissed this leaves those outside of the presumed default cultural window with two options. Either learn to communicate with this voice, known as assimilation, or feel like an outsider to their own community.