Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore
While it has been pointed out that identity is complex, unfixed and intersectional in nature, many studies tend to be restricted by their very conceptualisation of identity, which projects a sense of purism and essentialism rooted in Global North epistemologies. In this article, we consider the conc...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/5/87 |
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| author | Yong Ern Amy Leow Meng Huat Chau Baramee Kheovichai |
| author_facet | Yong Ern Amy Leow Meng Huat Chau Baramee Kheovichai |
| author_sort | Yong Ern Amy Leow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While it has been pointed out that identity is complex, unfixed and intersectional in nature, many studies tend to be restricted by their very conceptualisation of identity, which projects a sense of purism and essentialism rooted in Global North epistemologies. In this article, we consider the concept of (diasporic) identity and discuss how labels and categories of identity often prescribed to a community can and should be deconstructed for social justice purposes. We demonstrate this by examining the translanguaging practices of six Malaysian and Singaporean speakers of English in relation to their identity perception and construction. Although these multilingual speakers seemed to regard their use of multiple languages as fixed and bounded, they all showed, to varying degrees, a flexible languaging approach. The findings also suggested a defiance of expected categories of identity defined by the Global North, such as racialised language use and diasporic identity. We suggest that these prescriptive named categories are not useful in describing identities and question the labels and categories used to construct ‘identity’. We conclude by arguing for an ‘oceanic’ approach to identity, one that emphasises the fluidity, interconnectedness and boundless potential of identity to challenge oppressive structures and contribute to a more just and equitable world. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e048a843d1fe4b38bc3d5acdc7d5862c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj-art-e048a843d1fe4b38bc3d5acdc7d5862c2025-08-20T01:56:24ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2025-04-011058710.3390/languages10050087Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and SingaporeYong Ern Amy Leow0Meng Huat Chau1Baramee Kheovichai2Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, MalaysiaSchool of Applied Foreign Languages, Zhejiang International Studies University, Hangzhou 310030, ChinaFaculty of Arts, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, ThailandWhile it has been pointed out that identity is complex, unfixed and intersectional in nature, many studies tend to be restricted by their very conceptualisation of identity, which projects a sense of purism and essentialism rooted in Global North epistemologies. In this article, we consider the concept of (diasporic) identity and discuss how labels and categories of identity often prescribed to a community can and should be deconstructed for social justice purposes. We demonstrate this by examining the translanguaging practices of six Malaysian and Singaporean speakers of English in relation to their identity perception and construction. Although these multilingual speakers seemed to regard their use of multiple languages as fixed and bounded, they all showed, to varying degrees, a flexible languaging approach. The findings also suggested a defiance of expected categories of identity defined by the Global North, such as racialised language use and diasporic identity. We suggest that these prescriptive named categories are not useful in describing identities and question the labels and categories used to construct ‘identity’. We conclude by arguing for an ‘oceanic’ approach to identity, one that emphasises the fluidity, interconnectedness and boundless potential of identity to challenge oppressive structures and contribute to a more just and equitable world.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/5/87Southeast AsiaidentitydiasporatranslanguagingGlobal Southidentity as ocean |
| spellingShingle | Yong Ern Amy Leow Meng Huat Chau Baramee Kheovichai Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore Languages Southeast Asia identity diaspora translanguaging Global South identity as ocean |
| title | Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore |
| title_full | Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore |
| title_short | Exploring Identity for Social Justice: Insights from Multilingual Speakers of English in Malaysia and Singapore |
| title_sort | exploring identity for social justice insights from multilingual speakers of english in malaysia and singapore |
| topic | Southeast Asia identity diaspora translanguaging Global South identity as ocean |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/10/5/87 |
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