This month sees the launch of a new special collection on Modern Languages Open that rethinks methodological approaches in sociolinguistics since Covid 19. The collection includes cutting-edge contributions from the postgraduate community that explore novel ways of applying research methods in a rapidly evolving research climate. Here, the co-editors of the collection, Nicola Bermingham, Stefania Tufi, and Claire Nance explain the research context and thinking that informs this collection of essays.