Multilingual and multimodal digital communication in the post-pandemic era

This Special Issue examines how social actors – individuals, communities, and institutions – engage in multilingual and multimodal communication in digital spaces, particularly in the post-pandemic era. The five articles included offer empirical evidence from diverse perspectives on how and why social actors strategically employ these resources for meaning making and communication. Key findings highlight multilingual youths and Black female activists engaging in digital multimodal composing to address sociocultural issues and advocate for social justice. The studies also discuss the role of cultural relevance, bias and surveillance in shaping communication outcomes. Furthermore, the concept of digital materiality highlights the agentive role of digital tools in constructing meaning and facilitating collaboration, while also exposing inequities in access and intercultural tensions in online environments. This collection underscores the transformative potential of multilingual and multimodal digital communication. It also highlights the challenges of ensuring inclusivity and equity, emphasising the importance of context-sensitive approaches to address inequalities and support marginalised communities. The special issue is concluded by a comment by Professor Helen Kelly-Holmes.