Morana Lukac

Morana Lukac is an Assistant Professor in European Languages and Cultures at the University of Groningen's Center for Language and Cognition. She holds a PhD from Leiden University (2018) and previously worked as a lecturer and research fellow at Leiden University (2012–2020), followed by roles at institutions in Rostock and Greifswald (Germany, 2020–2023). Her research focuses on sociolinguistic aspects of language variation, including linguistic prescriptivism, non-binary pronouns, mental health discourse, and grassroots prescriptivism—a concept she co-introduced. She co-edited the landmark Routledge Handbook of Linguistic Prescriptivism (2023) and leads studies on trauma narratives and gender-fair language. Lukac is the Reviews Editor of Tijdschrift voor Genderstudies and Treasurer of the University of Groningen's Centre for Gender Studies. She co-hosts the podcast Language Law and Order, exploring language norms and societal impacts. Her work bridges academic linguistics with public discourse, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to language ideologies.

Education: PhD in Linguistics from Leiden University (2018), prior academic roles include membership in the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (2012–2020) and research fellowships in Germany (2020–2023).

Research interests span sociolinguistics, with a focus on language signaling group identity, social inequality, and mental health. She examines prescriptivism through both traditional and digital media, including forums, blogs, and podcasts. Recent work includes corpus-based analysis of trauma narratives and linguistic strategies for inclusive pronouns. Her projects often address global linguistic diversity, expanding prescriptivism research beyond Western contexts.

Professional roles include program committee membership for the European Languages and Cultures BA program and editorial contributions to linguistic journals. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, and social theory to address evolving language norms and their societal implications.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Center for Gender Studies, focusing on gender and intersectionality in language research. Collaborates with linguists and sociologists on projects like the NWO-funded Bridging the Unbridgeable initiative, which explored communication between linguists, prescriptivists, and the public.