Design and Heritage: The Construction of Identity and Belonging

Teacher identity has become an emergent theme in language teaching research. Research studies on language teacher identity have focused on teachers in secondary and tertiary education. Language teachers at primary schools have not been at the centre of research attention. To fill the gap, this study explores the construction of practice and identity in primary school English language teaching in Vietnam. The study drew on the theories of teacher identity in both general education and language teaching. The conceptual framework for inquiring into teachers’ construction of identity and practice was developed mainly from a social theory of learning (Wenger, 1998). The study used a combination of case study and narrative inquiry. The participants in the multiple cases are six teachers of English language working in six different primary schools in Vietnam. Data for the study were collected from interviews, classroom observations and reflective journals. The underlying principle of induction, especially cross-case analysis, was employed for data analysis in this study. The participating teachers’ identities and practices have been constructed from a variety of sociocultural factors such as family background, learning culture and social concepts of education, especially their own learning experience. Entering their teaching career, all of them built both theory and practice of teaching young learners by learning from their colleagues in primary schools. However, the six teachers’ participation in the primary school as a ‘community of practice’ included not only peace, happiness and harmony but also tensions, disagreement and conflicts. Therefore, each teacher sought other communities beyond the school community for learning to teach, such as a separate group of primary English language teachers, their family, higher level TESOL groups and the imagined community of Vietnamese and expatriate teachers. In this sense, their practices and identities have been constructed from multi-memberships in multi-communities. The participants’ construction of practice and identity faced pressures and disagreements. More challenging, though, was their navigation of professional legitimacy in both the school community and the wider society. They were particularly engaged with tensions and conflicts in the classroom and the school community. Understanding the educational reality in Vietnam and drawing on their own learning experience, they contended that their practice should be built on communication-oriented teaching. However, the implementation of this pedagogy has been hindered by various constraints including inadequate facilities, prevalent discourses in mainstream education, textbooks used in state schools and the expectations of pupils’ parents. Determined to transform their practice, they did not consider the constraints insurmountable but, rather, as an impetus for reform. Accordingly, their construction of practice and identity was marked by negotiations and reconciliations between the reality of mainstream education and their desired pedagogies. Beyond the educational community, they navigated other tensions in the wider society such as poor living conditions, the widespread “disease of private tutoring” and the conflicts between Vietnamese and Western cultures. Transcending all the obstacles, the participants successfully devised a system of specific practices for primary English language teaching embracing four constituents: artistic and entertaining activities integrated into language learning, English language use, meaningful contexts and social practice within and beyond the classroom. Their identities are reflected in these metaphors: artists, mothers, trial judges, intercultural promoters and democrats.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the correlation between diversity and intensity of interactions with the target language in a Study Abroad context, duration of SA and the construction of identity. In order to determine such a correlation, a two-fold study is conducted. The first stage is the completion of a highly detailed language contact profile (LCP) questionnaire. This provides extensive information regarding language learning history and is a powerful tool in illuminating the intensity and diversity of exposure to a range of loci of learning that learners experience during study abroad. Following completion of the LCP, the informants take part in two role plays which require the construction of differential identities when engaged in a speech event of asking for advice. The construction of identities then undergoes linguistic analysis in order to investigate if and how differences in the construction of compound identities are indexed. In brief, results indicate that highly-intense, symmetrical exposure to a range of loci of learning is probable only after an accumulated duration of more than one year and that only after such a period, the learner acquires agency over identity construction.

The construction of identity is a central issue that has been discussed in theory and in research over the last 30 years (Tajfel, 1981; Rosenthal, 1997). In Israel, researchers deal with the issue from the perspective of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Suleiman, 1997; Bar-On, 1999), by emphasizing inter- and intra-group processes (Bar-Tal and Rouhana, 1998; Maoz, 2000). This chapter focuses on the processes involved in the construction of personal and collective identity in Israel from the perspective of perceptions of the Palestinian Jewish 'other'. We hold two basic assumptions concerning the construction of identity which have their roots in the study of group identity. The first is that identity is multifaceted, composed principally of individual identity and collective identity. The latter is based on social factors such as group membership (Tajfel, 1981). The construction of personal and social identity is a dynamic process that develops and changes over the life course of the individual. Identity is perceived as a means by which people connect the real to the imagined and the concrete to the symbolic, as they perceive their personal and social world (Bhabha, 1990). An example is how people perceive themselves as being part of a national or ethnic group and the thoughts and emotions that this identity evokes.

The aim of this chapter is a brief review mainly of Hispanic and American theoretical contributions to address the issue of racism in news sites and social networks and propose the theory of social representations as a relevant theoretical tool to understand the processes discursive construction of racial identity in this social space. For this divide exploration in the following categories: 1) the Internet as a space for the construction of identity and community formation around ethnic and racial identity; 2) social networks as a place to express racial attitudes; and 3) the social representations as interpretive guiding principles and to study the discursive construction of racial identity.

Erikson's construct of identity has received much attention in the contemporary literature on adolescent development (e.g., Archer, 1989a, 1989b; Blustein & Palladino, 1991). In the vocational literature Bordin (1984) and Holland (1985) have made significant efforts to incorporate a construct of vocational identity into their theories. Although most contributors to the career development literature has acknowledged Erikson as the intellectual father of the construct of identity, none have succeeded in formulating a construct of identity that is more than a caricature of Erikson's thinking. In this article, I suggest that what is needed is a serious look at the requirements for formulating a viable, dynamic, developmental conceptualization of the construct of vocational identity.

From the Rhenish Prussian Eifel to the Wisconsin Holyland: immigration, identity and acculturation at the regional scale

Background. National identity is a dynamic phenomenon that is discursively constructed through use of various language means, including the pronoun “we.” Perception of a nation as a political community results in usage of the national we in specific contexts, while practical use of the national we in various discourses has an impact on construction and support of the national identity.Сontribution to the research field. This research sets the parameters of discursive construction of the Ukrainian national identity represented in the media texts through use of the national we.Purpose. The purpose of this article is to analyse the use of the national we that appeared in Ukrainian media texts in the year of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Study materials were selected from the articles published on The Ukrainian Week’s website during 2022.Methods. A descriptive method was used for this research as a part of the discourse analysis.Results. Semantic zones related to the discursive construction of the Ukrainian national identity using the national we were highlighted: 1) the need to understand one’s national identity; 2) national character (stereotypical Ukrainian); 3) physical measurement of existence of a nation (people and territories); 4) historical memory; 4) culture; 5) present; 6) future; 7) tasks to be solved for adequate existence of the nation. The important element of understanding the national uniqueness is determining one’s distinction from the enemy which, among other things, is verbalised through we — they opposition. The common past that determines the present and the future, and the tasks the Ukrainians face are mentioned more often than the other semantic zones.Discussion. In all semantic zones construction of the national we is affected by the colonial past of Ukraine and the necessity to resist the Russian imperial narratives and defend against the full-scale armed invasion of Russia. The direction for the research is to study the discursive construction of the Ukrainian national identity during ХХ–ХХІ centuries in the context of the postcolonial research trends using various language means.

The shortage of special education teachers globally has created the need to understand how this group views itself, especially at the preservice stage. Understanding special education teachers’ identity construction could assist in providing teacher education that attracts and retains more special education teachers. However, little attention has been paid to preservice special education teachers’ (PSETs) identity formation. Utilising Gee’s discursive approach to identity within an interpretive qualitive paradigm, this multiple case study collected rich data via semi-structured individual interviews and weekly reflective writing from 10 PSETs in China over four months of school-based practicum. Analysis of data showed that the participants (re)constructed the Discourse of being special education teachers in and through enacting the four sub-Discourses of advocate, teacher, professional and learner. Drawing on the findings, it is argued that PSETs’ identity (re)construction during practicum involved continuous negotiation between their practicum experiences, their own personal discourses and dominant social discourses about special education teachers. Implications for policy and practice are discussed regarding improving specialist teacher preparation programmes and raising special education teachers’ social status.

This research aims to explain the construction of Dayak identity in students of Santo Paulus Pontianak Senior High School (SMA), who are active as ethnic Dayak artists. The research problem is that there is a lot of identity politicisation that hinders the process of equality and justice in society. Identity politicisation can be seen in general elections, regional head elections, and many mass organisations affiliated with ethnic identity. This research is a qualitative research with a looking-glass self approach from symbolic interactionism theory. The research subjects were 10 students who were active as ethnic Dayak artists. Data collection was conducted from January to March 2024. The result of the research is that the construction of Dayak identity is influenced by several things, namely (1) the influence of practical politics; (2) mystical stories; (3) the history of ethnic conflict; (4) life that depends on nature; and (5) customary law or customs. These constructions of identity contain problems, such as underutilising cultural perspectives, lacking historical breadth, and concealing the many riches of Dayak identity. This research is important to do because the politicisation of identity still occurs frequently. There needs to be an effort to understand these various identities so that identity construction is not easily trapped in pragmatic and opportunistic interests.

Extensive theoretical, literary, and cinematic work in the last century confirms the interest of scholars, filmmakers, and the general public in the topic of individual and collective identity. But such work has focused much of its attention on issues of sex, gender, ethnicity, and national or global identity, while disregarding the impact of science and technology. Science and technology have played important roles in the construction of identity in Spanish narratives, Cervantes being an early precursor, and even today continues to be central to the work of contemporary writers and filmmakers. Unfortunately, Spanish literary or cinematic criticism1 has paid little attention to this phenomenon. This chapter will attempt, in some small measure, to correct this oversight by delineating the role that science, technology, and technological discourse have played in the construction of human identity in Spanish literature and film, beginning with Nobel Prize winner Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934) and concluding with Miguel Bardem's film, La mujer más fea del mundo (1999) [The Ugliest Woman in the World].KeywordsCosmetic SurgeryShort StoryScience FictionHuman SubjectivityNobel Prize WinnerThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

The textbook continues to be by far the most widely recognized didactic tool as well the most used by teachers and students in Portugal in the current educational context and in the teaching of history. Textbooks, understood as mediators between programs, historiographical schools, educational policies, normative systems and pedagogical perspectives of teaching, necessarily reflect social representations and in a given context promote the construction of social and political identities. These identities can be more or less homogeneous and are themes that will be discussed in the first part of the text. We intend to analyze social representations (women, men, children, society, etc.), as well as the construction of multiple identities (social, political, cultural) in reading books and textbooks of history in Portugal, within a historical perspective. In our paper, we systematize several studies that have addressed this issue in Portugal. We also present a study in which we analyze and compare reading books and textbooks for teaching history in primary school at different times: there are some texts from the First Republic and others from The Estado Novo (New State), with a greater focus, in this period, on reading books and fourth-year History textbooks. By studying these documents, we seek to identify changes in social representations and in the construction of identities, changes which operate very slowly.

Introduction G.Raymond & T.Modood PART ONE: APPROACHES TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF MINORITY IDENTITIES Secularism and the Accommodation of Muslims T.Modood & R.Kastoryano The Construction of What? M.Wieviorka Debating Cultural Difference in France C.Wihtol de Wenden The French Republic Unveiled M.Silverman PART TWO: EXPERIENCING THE CONSTRUCTION OF MINORITY IDENTITIES Shifting Socio-Cultural Identities: Young People of North African Origin in France N.Kiwan Converging at Last? France, Britain and their Minorities V.Latour Veiled Interventions in Pure Space: Honour, Shame and Embodied Struggles Among Muslims in Britain and France P.Werbner The Construction of Identity, Integration and Participation of Caribbeans in British Society H.Goulbourne

In March 2020, schools in England were closed to all but vulnerable children and the children of key workers, as part of a national effort to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Many teachers were required to work from home as remote learning was implemented. Teaching is primarily a relational profession, and previous literature acknowledges that supportive relationships with peers help to maintain teachers' resilience and commitment during challenging periods. This paper reports on findings from a small-scale study conducted in England during the first national lockdown beginning in March 2020, which explored the impact of the requirement to teach remotely on teachers' identity and peer relationships. A discourse analysis, informed by the aims and practices of discursive psychology, was conducted in order to explore the association between constructions of peer support and responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that teachers who presented their professional self-identity as collective rather than personal appeared to have a more positive perspective on the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. These findings, which have implications for policymakers and school leaders, contribute to the growing field of research on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on education by showing the strong association between teachers' constructions of identity and their capacity to respond positively to the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Studying the construction of refugee identities has become increasingly essential in today’s conflict-ridden times. While refugees face many challenges, identity related challenges are often more pervasive. These concerns are addressed through the examination of first-generation Tibetan refugees (born in Tibet) and second/third-generation Tibetan refugees (born in India) living in India. The theoretical framework of proculturation is uniquely positioned to shed light onto these refugee identities but remains unexplored thus far. The formation of their identity in exile is examined through the narratives of the two groups. 28 Tibetan refugee youth aged 18–30 were interviewed; the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and two thematic networks were generated. There was a notable difference in the way the refugee identity was constructed by both groups of participants. Due to the difference in experiences of dislocation and proculturation, the nature of identity differed significantly, suggesting a more holistic identity for Indian-born refugees and a fractured identity for Tibet-born refugees. Both groups noted an active (re)construction and transformation of Tibetan culture and identity, demonstrating an integration of social representations in the context of proculturation and suggesting the semiotic function of place and intercultural contact in the construction of identity in exile.

The aim of this work is to identify the factors, which damage the construction of the rural educators’ identity, who are not participating in Social Movements. Aiming at the achievement of the work, it was initially done a bibliographical research. The following part was to use as a procedure and an instrument, the data collecting, the documental analysis, and semi-structured interviews done with eight teachers in the rural zone, the rural zone teachers assistematic direct interview of the reality of the work. The analysis and the discussion gave the opportunity to verify the facts, which have been generating a crisis of teacher’s professional identity construction, that crisis which has been associated to the non vinculated practices with the students reality and the rural zone community. Finally, the hypotheses were confirmed, consequently it was identified that the factors which damage the rural educator’s construction of the identity without association to the Social Movement, when it was verified the continuous formation offered to those teachers by the city government, does not prioritize the valorization and specific formation to the construction and enhancement of the teachers identity. The work conditions do not facilitate the process of construction of a positive identity and which there is a really rural educators crisis of identity without connection to the Social Movements associated to the social devalorization of the profession. Keywords: Professional identity, rural educator crisis, identity crisis.