The Influence of English Learning on Ethnic Kazakh Minority Students’ Identity (re)Construction at Chinese Universities

Abstract

Language learning researches have shed light on the learners’ identity shifts through the language practices in which the power relations negotiated as the language learner invest in the cultural capital to increase both material and symbolic power of the target language as well as to be part of imagined community. English language is perceived as cultural capital in many non-native English speaking countries and minority groups in these social contexts seem to invest in the language to be empowered and reposition themselves from the imbalanced power relation with dominant group. This study devoted to explore how English learning influence minority Kazakh students’ identity (re)construction at Chinese universities from the scope of ‘imagined community, investment and identity’ theory of Norton (2013). To this end the three research questions were designed as following: 1) Kazakh minority students’ English learning experiences at Chinese universities; 2) Kazakh minority students’ views about benefits and opportunities of English learning; 3) the influence of English learning on Kazakh minority students’ identity (re)construction...