Divergent Realities: A Bourdieusian Narrative Inquiry into Professional Identity and Opportunity in Canadian EAP/TESOL

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Bourdieu and Teacherly Dispositions

Abstract

This narrative inquiry examines the professional identity construction and lived experiences of 11 native and (non)native English-speaking instructors (NESTs/NNESTs) in Canadian post-secondary EAP/TESOL programs. Drawing on in-depth interviews and informed by Bourdieusian social theory and critical language ideology, the study analyzes how instructors negotiate legitimacy in a field structured by unequal access to symbolic and linguistic capital. Despite holding advanced degrees and extensive experience, NNEST participants consistently narrate encountering symbolic violence and the emotional labor of re-establishing professional legitimacy. In contrast, NEST participants often assume legitimacy as unproblematic, reflecting structurally secure positions within the field. These divergent narratives reveal persistent inequities in how professional value is assigned and sustained, challenging notions of merit, access, and inclusion in Canadian higher education.

Author

• Aylar Adeh, Simon Fraser University