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Title Pakistani Undergraduates’ Investment in English: An Exploration of Ideology-Capital-Identity Nexus

Author(s) NABILA JAVED

Abstract Owing to the undeniable need for proficiency in the English language, the Pakistani youth and their parents invest heavily in learning English. The main push factors for such investment are the ideologies of power and status associated with English, the various forms of social, economic and symbolic capital it accrues, and the established future identity that it promises. However, very little research in the context of Pakistan has taken stock of how these factors influence the extent of investment of learners in learning English. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the perceptions of soon-to-graduate BS English regarding the dividends they perceive to have (not) received after four years of investment in the English language. Drawing on Darvin and Norton’s (2015) model of investment, qualitative data was collected using an open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. An extensive thematic analysis of 112 questionnaires and 20 interview responses was carried out. It was found that students deem English as a tool for advancement and enrichment of social, cultural resources connected with its learning hence assigning it the value of symbolic capital. They consider it the most important language for seeking social status and a substantial place in a world with more ESL speakers than native speakers, hence enabling them to be recognized as legitimate members of the society and gain access to the envisioned identities. However, they face challenges in negotiating the identity of a proficient English user owing to insufficient exposure to and proficiency in the language. The study has implications for the way undergraduate students are exposed to English during their studies. It also contributes to our understanding of how ideology, capital, and identity have an overriding influence on the level of investment of Pakistani undergraduates seeking English language proficiency, an area not much explored yet.

Type Thesis/Dissertation

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2022-06-28

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