Convened by Professor Angela Crack, University of Portsmouth, and Peter Jiyajiya, University of Glasgow

This seed panel explores the conceptual and linguistic space between global development agendas, often framed through English-based concepts such as 'sustainability', and locally embedded understandings of environment, sustainability, and future-making, articulated in diverse languages and cultural contexts. It asks: how do communities conceptualise environmental futures in their own terms? What is lost, gained, or transformed when these visions are translated into (English) mainstream development discourse?

We are particularly interested in how language mediates power and meaning in development practice. Ecolinguistics offers one promising lens for examining how environmental narratives are shaped, contested, and reimagined across linguistic boundaries. We also welcome contributions that propose new conceptual and methodological approaches to understanding these glocal dynamics, especially those that foreground linguistic diversity, epistemic justice, and the politics of translation.

This panel is intended as a forum for mutual exchange, reflection, and idea development rather than the presentation of completed papers. We welcome early-stage research, work-in-progress, and speculative or exploratory contributions. The aim is to create a collaborative space where scholars and practitioners can refine ideas, share challenges, and build interdisciplinary connections.

We hope to foster a supportive environment for those working at the intersections of language, development, and sustainability, particularly in under-researched settings in the Global South. Contributions may draw on empirical case studies, theoretical reflections, or methodological innovations, with a shared interest in how language shapes our collective visions of sustainable futures