(Non-)participation and identity negotiation: Sophie’s L2 learning and use experiences in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article reports on a single case study of a Nigerian female international student – Sophie’s changing second language (L2) learning and use experiences in China, with a specific focus on her negotiation of (non-)participation, competence and identity. Drawing upon the notion of ‘community of practice’ and poststructuralist theorising on identities in language learning, we provide a holistic and nuanced account of Sophie’s language learning trajectory and progression from peripheral to full participation in Chinese-medium communities across three phases. Findings suggest that the individual’s L2 (non-)participation and identity negotiation appeared to be a dynamic and highly contradictory process, which was highly mediated by the contextual complexities and contingent upon personal agency. Given the large volume of research on international students’ uptake of English in the Anglosphere, this article sheds light on what works – and what does not work in supporting L2 learners to become a full participant and claim a desirable identity in communities of practice in an emerging ‘education hub’ – China.