Intersectionality of marginalisation: EAL academics in exile writing for international publication

Journal article, 2023

Intersectionality, the interconnectedness of social categories to account for individual experience or behaviour, has received increased attention in various areas in applied linguistics. Although in English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP) different identity vectors have been investigated separately, there has been less focus on how these vectors intersect with each other to shape writers’ experiences of publishing and contribute to their (dis)advantageous position as academics. In this paper, we draw on the intersectionality framework to provide a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of 12 Syrian academics in exile as they try to publish in international journals as well as their perceptions and practices regarding their marginalisation. Three areas of exiled academics’ experiences are examined in this study: access to academic-related employment, conducting research, and research writing for international publication in English. Using interviews with Syrian academics and their co-authors, we investigated how multiple vectors of identity intersect and impact on the Syrian academics’ writing for publication in exile. It has been shown that exiled academics experience marginalisation in all three areas on account of multiple aspects of their identity. We conclude with implications for support agencies and funding bodies on how to better assist exiled academics.