Linguistic Belonging among Non-Native English-Speaking Faculty in Internationalized Higher Education: Evidence from the UAE

This study examines linguistic belonging as a dimension of professional experience among non-native English-speaking faculty in English-medium instruction (EMI) higher education in the United Arab Emirates. While EMI research has focused largely on language proficiency and native-speaker ideologies, less attention has been paid to how language shapes everyday participation, recognition, and professional voice in academic workplaces. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 245 faculty members across public and private universities, the study explores how linguistic belonging relates to institutional climate, individual linguistic resources, and disciplinary context. Linguistic belonging is measured using a seven-item index that captures self-reported linguistic disconnection in English-mediated interactions. Ordinary least squares regression shows that greater workplace inclusion and higher self-rated English proficiency are associated with lower linguistic disconnection. In contrast, demographic characteristics, academic rank, institutional type, teaching experience, and prior residence in English-speaking countries are not significant predictors. Disciplinary differences are also observed, underscoring contextual variation.