Abstract
Research shows that structure and agency are components of both micro and macro articulations of identity (Bucholtz and Hall, 2005). However, some scholars (e.g., Block 2013, 2015; Sealey and Carter 2004; Gao 2017) argue that structure and agency often receive unequal attention, with many studies focusing more on agency when examining identity work. This paper attempts to rectify this imbalance by adopting a chronotopic approach to examine quantitative variation in Chinese Indonesian college students' (non)‐use of the Chinese discourse particle a to construct interactional positions. The resulting analysis highlights how speakers' interactional positions align with established macro structures of Chineseness and Indonesianness, and also present new local structures. Patterns in different speakers' invocation of structures in interaction correlates with their socialization histories, involving exposure to particular social categories and ideologies. Ultimately, this approach better represents structure and agency as mutually constituted factors in identity work.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.