In this concluding chapter of ALT DIS, a collection of essays exploring alternative discourses from various perspectives, I respond to and synthesize various issues raised by the contributors to this volume from multilingual and interdisciplinary perspectives. I begin by distinguishing alternative and hybrid discourses—alternative discourse is defined in relation to the dominant discourse whereas hybrid discourse refers to the characteristics of the discourse itself. I then join some of the contributors who argue for a flexible view of "alternative," emphasizing that what is alternative in one context is not necessarily alternative in another context. I also point out that the the dominant discourse itself is changing as the academy becomes increasingly multilingual, multicultural and international. I conclude by posing a series of questions for further explorations of the notion of alternative discourses and its implications.
