Unraveling the EFL expat: challenging privilege through borderlands and Asia as Method

Each year, multitudes respond to the demand for native English speakers teach as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Asian countries, particularly China, Japan, and South Korea. These EFL transnationals are often young, new living abroad, inexperienced educators. When they arrive, find community, an identity waiting them: that of expatriate. In this paper, I draw on research expatriates produce figuration, way engaging with highlighting contradiction disjuncture narrative expat taken up by some transnational teachers. This figuration serves nexus which bring two bodies theory think. Borderlands Thought Gloria Anzaldúa Chen Kwan-Hsing’s articulation Asia Method. Separately, these into conversation expat, then consider what emerges when all three brought together. doing so, highlight how is outlined privileged constrictive colonial, racial, professional, linguistic dichotomies. The theories help unravel binaries, suggesting ways teachers can move from such constraints become something more than in-but-not-of their local world. also it means Western scholars work respectfully theoretical spaces were not developed them, proposing researchers think themselves expatriates.