This book looks at language in unexpected places. Through a series of personal and narrative accounts, it explores aspects of travel, mobility and locality to ask how languages, cultures and people turn up in unexpected places. What renders the unexpected so and how might we challenge our lines of expectation?

Alastair Pennycook is Professor of Language Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney. He is widely known for his work on the politics of language, language and globalization, language and popular culture and language education. His current research is exploring urban multilingualism (metrolingualism). His recent book Language as a Local Practice was shortlisted for the BAAL book award, which he has won on two previous occasions for The Cultural Politics of English as an International Language and Global Englishes and Transcultural Flows.