From Dialogical Self to Dialogical Self-Authorship: Towards a Conceptual Framework for the Development of Educators' Professional Identity in Crisis Contexts

This preprint presents a conceptual framework for the development of educators’ professional identity in crisis contexts through the lens of dialogical self theory and the proposed concept of dialogical self-authorship. The study introduces dialogical self-authorship as a psychological mechanism that has not yet been systematically conceptualized in the context of educators’ professional identity. The framework is based on the analysis of internal dialogical processes, reflexivity, and meaning-making, and is operationalized through a conceptual model including four components: problem-actualization, dialogical-reflective interaction of I-positions, integrative meaning construction, and authorial professional positioning. The emergence of a reflective meta-position is emphasized as a key condition for coordinating multiple professional voices and constructing an authorial stance. The study also proposes criteria for assessing dialogical self-authorship, including reflective awareness, dialogical positioning, integration of professional meanings, professional self-efficacy, and readiness for professional development. The framework contributes to the theoretical understanding of identity development in conditions of uncertainty and provides a basis for further empirical research and intervention design. This is a preprint version submitted to ICDS 2026.