Participatory Localization: A Social Justice Approach to Navigating Unenfranchised/Disenfranchised Cultural Sites

Abstract

This article investigates the social justice implications of localization and reports the results of an empirical study that examines poor designer localization efforts in documentation used in marketing sexuopharmaceuticals. It argues against a top-down view of design and communication and instead advocates a participatory approach that takes into account user linguacultural, political, economic, legal, and local knowledge systems in the localization process. The article also offers suggestions to guide localization theory and practice.

Keywords:

• globalization
• linguacultural systems
• participatory localization
• social justice
• technical communication

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many thanks go to the members of my dissertation committee, Jerry Savage, Angela Haas, Susan Burt, and Janice Neuleib, for their pieces of advice and guidance in shaping the ideas that led to this article. Jerry Savage particularly deserves special mention for his invaluable and timely critique at various stages during the development of this article. Finally, I would like to thank the reviewers and editors for their thoughtful suggestions.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Godwin Y. Agboka

Godwin Y. Agboka is an assistant professor of English at the University of Houston–Downtown. His scholarly interests include intercultural technical communication and social justice in technical communication. He teaches professional communication and medical writing courses.