John M. Swales, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics
1938–2025
John Malcolm Swales, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics, passed away peacefully on March 18, 2025.
Professor Swales was a pioneering scholar in applied linguistics whose work on genre analysis and research genres fundamentally changed how academic discourse is studied and how research writing in English is taught around the world. He had a lasting influence on the scholarship in these areas. Professor Swales was author or co-author of eight scholarly books, four textbooks, three co-edited volumes and more than 130 research articles and book chapters. His books, including Genre Analysis (1990), Other Floors, Other Voices (1998), and Research Genres and Applications (2004), have received broad acclaim in the field. He was a much sought after speaker at conferences around the globe, with well over 300 colloquia, plenaries, and talks to his credit. His contributions had a significant impact on how scholars and educators approach discourse analysis, genre studies, and the teaching of second language writing, serving as a source of inspiration for scholars from Australia and Taiwan to Russia and Denmark.
Professor Swales received his B.S. (1960) and M.S. (1965) from Cambridge University, and a post-graduate diploma in linguistics and English as a second language (1966) from the University of Leeds. He was a lecturer at the University of Libya (1966-1970) and then with the University of Leeds’ Overseas Education Studies Group (1970-1973). In 1973 he became professor of English and director of the English Language Servicing Unit at the University of Khartoum, Sudan. In 1978, he joined the University of Aston in Birmingham as a senior lecturer and then reader. Professor Swales joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in 1985 as visiting professor of linguistics and was appointed professor of linguistics in 1987, retiring as professor emeritus in 2006. He was awarded honorary doctoral degrees by Uppsala University (2004) and the University of Silesia (2015).
Professor Swales was director of the English Language Institute from 1987-2001 (after being acting director from 1985 to 1987). During his long tenure as director, he developed an outstanding English for Academic Purposes program, serving international students and visiting scholars. He was known for his generosity and willingness to guide the research and teaching efforts of others. He was a driving force in the development of the Department of Linguistics undergraduate concentration track in applied linguistics, contributing to its curriculum and serving as advisor. He chaired or co-chaired nearly 20 dissertation committees and demonstrated a deep commitment to providing all students with a wide range of training and funding opportunities. As an outstanding and beloved teacher and mentor, he had an important, lasting impact in undergraduate and graduate studies in applied linguistics.
Professor Swales’ accomplishments extended well beyond his academic work. He was an avid birder, contributing to the second edition of The Birds of Washtenaw County, Michigan, and a devoted butterfly enthusiast. He was a regular participant in and organizer of Michigan’s annual butterfly counts, where his expertise and excitement upon seeing a rather rare species enriched the experience for everyone involved. Furthering his interest in citizen science and protecting butterfly populations, he co-authored The Butterflies of Our Local Park. Professor Swales is survived by his loving partner Vi Benner, his children Claire, Kirby, and Harvey, and his grandchildren Maxime, Lucas, Arabella, and Margot. John will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and the countless individuals whose lives he touched.
