English for Academic Purposes in Neoliberal Universities: A Critical Grounded Theory

The critical grounded theory presented in this book offers valuable insights on the social processes and strategies used by Blended English for Academic Purposes Professionals (BLEAPs) at higher education institutions, as they struggle to negotiate the challenges arising from a new focus on recruiting international students and hunting for other resources for their universities. Drawing from in-depth interviews with numerous research participants at over eleven higher educational institutions in the UK, Japan and the United States, this work focuses on those who have been precariously placed as middle manager at many EAP and TESOL programs. Lacking in both positional power or permanence, these 'BLEAPs' are faced with many challenges as they seek to understand their changing role in higher educational institutions, and engage in strategies that can help them gain greater control over issues in their profession.

Offers a new perspective on social processes affecting English for Academic Purposes management in Higher Education Juxtaposes existing theories with an empirical study of the practices in English for Academic Purposes units at universities Offers an action-based framework that will help teachers and new managers gain greater understanding of and control over issues in their profession Critically analyses common management strategies in EAP units in order to encourage good practices

Contenu

Acknowledgements.- Table of Figures.- List of Tables.- Chapter 1 Setting the Stage: Context, Concepts, and Theoretical Constructions.- Chapter 2 EAP in the Third Space of Neoliberal Universities.- Chapter 3 The Emergence of Blended EAP Professionals.- Chapter 4 Hunting and Gathering.- Chapter 5 Weighing and Measuring.- Chapter 6 Molding and Shaping from On High.- Chapter 7 Mobbing, Struggling, and Managing: A Story of Professional Disarticulation.- References.