A History of Applied Linguistics From 1980 to the present

Kees de Bot’s “A History of Applied Linguistics: From 1980 to the Present”, published by Routledge in 2015, is a seminal work that meticulously traces the trajectory of applied linguistics over the past few decades. The book spans 11 chapters over approximately 168 pages, offering a detailed exploration of Applied Linguistics (AL). De Bot begins by analyzing the diverse informants who have shaped AL, considering factors like gender, race, educational backgrounds, and affiliations. He critically examines AL’s definitions, its autonomy, and its relationships with fields like TESOL and AILA. Profiles of influential leaders highlight their contributions, while a thorough review covers seminal articles and books, emphasizing publishers’ roles in research dissemination. The book explores theoretical and methodological trends, including corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, and new areas like neurolinguistics and technology in language learning. De Bot discusses psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic dimensions such as language acquisition, identity, multilingualism, and language policy. His exploration of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) applies it to understanding language dynamics and individual differences. A citation analysis section examines publication impact and academic influence dynamics. Ultimately, De Bot reflects on AL’s broad impact on language education, from theoretical insights to practical applications.