In Conversation with Christian Chun: Disrupting the Norm: EAP, Identity and Institutional Change

Описание: In this interview, Associate Professor Christian W. Chun discusses his journey into English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and the importance of a critical, socially engaged approach to language teaching. Drawing on experiences from the classroom and broader social contexts, Chun challenges traditional, skills-based models, emphasising the ideological and political dimensions of academic language. He advocates for empowering EAP teachers to navigate institutional constraints and promote critical thinking, social justice, and inclusivity. Chun also highlights the value of interdisciplinary dialogue, reflective practice, and rethinking academic language norms to resist linguistic, postcolonial and racial hierarchies. His call is for EAP professionals to become agents of change, facilitating not just language ‘acquisition’ but also critical engagement with power, identity, and knowledge in education.
About Christian Chun: Christian W. Chun, Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts Boston, focuses on critical English for Academic Purposes, discourse analysis, and how language, power, and identity intersect in education. He challenges traditional skills-based approaches by highlighting the social and political dimensions of academic language. Chun encourages learners to critically engage with texts and contexts beyond the classroom. His work redefines academic literacy as a space for critical inquiry and transformation, inviting educators and students to approach it as more than a set of conventions.