A Narrative Inquiry into Iranian Expatriate English Language Teachers’ Resilience and Identity Construction in Turkey

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Kharazmi University, Iran

2 Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Abstract

This study investigated the dynamic interplay between resilience and professional identity construction among Iranian expatriate English language teachers working in Turkey. Grounded in the theoretical framework of activity theory and employing a narrative inquiry methodology, the research examined how teachers navigated institutional, cultural, and pedagogical challenges in transnational teaching contexts. Data were collected from eight Iranian teachers through open-ended questionnaires, narrative frames, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed four interrelated themes: negotiating institutional expectations and autonomy, navigating cultural dissonance and identity reconstruction, sustaining professional self through adaptive resilience, and re-authoring identity through connection and recognition. These themes illustrated that participants’ resilience was not a fixed personal trait but a socially mediated and contextually embedded process that co-evolved with their identity construction. The study contributed to the literature by foregrounding the situated and relational dimensions of resilience and by demonstrating how expatriate teachers reconstructed their professional selves through acts of adaptation, reflection, and connection. The findings carried implications for teacher education and institutional policies that aimed to support the development and well-being of expatriate educators in culturally diverse settings.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research
Volume 13, 3 (Special Issue)
December 2025
Pages 141-166

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History

  • Receive Date: 11 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 12 December 2025

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