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(Re)constructing imagined identities in language cafés: an ethnographic inquiry

Polo-Pérez, Nuria; Axbey, Harriet; Riddle, Sharon

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Authors

Nuria Polo-Pérez

Harriet Axbey

Sharon Riddle



Abstract

Despite their growing popularity, language cafés have not received the same research attention as other second or foreign language contexts outside of formal education. Drawing on ethnographic data from a three-year fieldwork conducted in a university language café, this paper aims to draw attention to language cafés as significant social contexts for multilingual identity performance and development. In particular, underpinned by a poststructuralist view of identity, the findings show different ways in which participants (re)construct their imagined multilingual identities in interaction with others in the language café environment, where subject positions are not constrained by institutional roles (e.g. student and teacher).

Citation

Polo-Pérez, N., Axbey, H., & Riddle, S. (2020). (Re)constructing imagined identities in language cafés: an ethnographic inquiry. In Imagining Better Education : Conference Proceedings 2019 (59-70)

Conference Name Imagining Better Education 2019
Conference Location Durham
Publication Date 2020
Deposit Date Aug 19, 2020
Publicly Available Date Aug 19, 2020
Pages 59-70
Series Title Imagining Better Education
Book Title Imagining Better Education : Conference Proceedings 2019.
ISBN 9780907552246
Publisher URL https://www.dur.ac.uk/education/

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Published Conference Proceeding (499 Kb)
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Copyright Statement
The copyright of this paper remains with the author.




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